Bully who lashed out at ex-partner is spared prison

Accused tried to force victim out of home

A John Lewis worker has been spared jailed after he tore down kitchen blinds before trying to shove his ex out their home.

Graeme Lennie, 35, lashed out after Kerry McVey, 35, told him he was not doing enough around the house.

He pulled the shutters from the wall, bawling: “I paid for half of them.”

But he beat a jail stretch and was ordered to complete unpaid work at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Defence lawyer Ter r y Gallanagh claimed his client lashed out in a fit of temper.

He said: “He has expressed genuine regret. “It is highly unlikely this man will come before the courts again.

“He understands this kind of behaviour is unacceptable politically and socially.”

Lennie was found was found guilty of domestic assault after turning on his former partner during a trial.

Ms McVey told how she tried to reason with him before he began pushing at her.

She said: “I felt he’d been having very bad mood swings.

“It was getting worse and worse, it was too hard to live with and I couldn’t live with him. I asked him to leave as I wasn’t able to live in that environment any more.

“It was about him not pulling his weight. At first he said he wasn’t leaving.

“He was pushing me on the shoulders.

“He then ripped down my kitchen blinds and said he’d paid for half of them.”

Neighbours spotted Lennie push the immigration officer towards the door of the home in Gockston Road.

They told how she “did not react” as he tried to force her outside on April 17.

Lennie admitted they had been involved in a “tussle” but claimed he was “reacting to what she was doing”.

Pleas for a non-harassment order banning him from contacting his former partner were rejected.

Sheriff Frances McCartney warned him to cooperate during regular contact with experts.

She said: “I don’t consider it necessary in the circumstances.

“He will be under supervision and social workers will be working with him for the next six months.”

The bully has been told to complete 100 hours of unpaid work in six months.

He understands this kind of behaviour is unacceptable politically and socially Terry Gallanagh