Sheriff gives troubled lout a chance to prove himself
A teenager who assaulted his pregnant girlfriend by kneeling on her stomach has been spared jail.
Arran Clark, 19, attacked Shannon Robertson when she was eight weeks with child during a domestic incident at Lomond Gardens, Elderslie, in October 2016.
Yesterday, he was shown mercy by a sheriff as the baby has been born and Clark, of Glenburn Road, Paisley, is attempting to arrange access.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard Clark, who was appearing in the dock to be sentenced over the assault, for a number of breaches of bail and a separate charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice, regretted the attack.
Defence agent Lauren Reid told the court the youngster, who has now separated from his girlfriend, was keen to see the baby and had shown remorse for his behaviour.
She said: “They were both teenagers when his partner became pregnant. It was a toxic relationship. Both parties had issues with their own feelings. Both struggled to deal with their emotions.
“The accused is not in relationship with the complainer any more. Since then, the child has been born. And the accused would like to arrange contact as he is the child’s father.”
His lawyer added that Clark had a very difficult upbringing, blighted by domestic violence, and he suffers from autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The court heard the breaches of bail involved Clark contacting or visiting his partner, who may have invited him round, in violation of the court order put in place following the assault.
The perverting the course of justice charge involved him giving police false information.
Miss Reid urged the court to continue matters to allow the teenager a chance to pursue contact with the child through the civil courts.
Sheriff Susan Sinclair agreed with the lawyer and deferred sentence on Clark to allow him to pursue his chances of access with the baby.
She told Clark he was in need of “a short, sharp shock,” as sending him to custody was “high on the court’s list of priorities”.
But she spared him jail, saying: “I will defer matters until I find out what the children’s hearing is prepared to do and you must stay out of trouble or you will be locked up.”