Court gives man another chance to complete unpaid work for attacking pregnant partner

A Perth man, spared jail after attacking his heavily pregnant partner, has been given a further chance to complete his Community Payback Order.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that 23-year-old Shaun Brown, of County Place, hadn’t carried out any of the 80 hours of unpaid work imposed after he left his girlfriend with blood streaming from her nose during an argument in her city centre flat.

Just prior to that, he had picked up a TV set and hurled it to the floor, smashing it into“several pieces.”

He was given a further three months to carry out the work - and will also be supervised by a social worker over the another 12 months - after the court heard he had “difficulty”managing his emotions because of mental health problems.

SheriffWilliamWood said he was prepared to give the accused more time to carry out the work.

But he warned him:“It has to be completed. You have to engage with the Social Work Department.”

The accused admitted punching the woman on the head, to her injury, in a flat in Perth’s High Street on July 4.

He also wilfully or recklessly damaged the television and a glass, refused to leave despite repeated requests and then made violent threats to her.

Depute fiscal Jennifer Johnson said that throughout the incidents he was making“hurtful and abusive remarks”to his partner.

When he refused to calm down and ignored repeated her requests to go, she locked herself in the bathroom.

When Brown did eventually leave, she emerged from the toilet and locked the front door.

But he returned a short time later and shouted through the door:“I’m going to come back and stab you.”

The court was told that the pair had been in a relationship since August, 2016, and she was pregnant at the time.

She contacted the police following the attack and when they arrived on the scene saw blood on her nose.

She was also holding a blood-covered handkerchief.

Solicitor John McLaughlin said that the pregnancy had to be terminated but they intended to get back together.

“His partner is willing to have him back and give him a further chance.”

Brown’s progress on the order will be reviewed on January 3 when he will also be sentenced on two other outstanding offences involving the same woman.