Shoppers’ horror as man attacks partner

Thug admits sickening assault at retail park

Alarmed lunchtime shoppers phoned the police after a man lost the plot and dragged his ex-partner from his car, Perth Sheriff Court heard this week.

Forty-eight-year-old Robert Barclay then pinned the frightened victim against a fence at the busy St Catherine’s Retail Park in Perth.

Shortly before members of the public were alerted by Hazel Lowe’s screams, he had subjected her to a sustained attack in his vehicle which landed her in PRI’s A&E Department.

Barclay, of Easterton Buildings, Greenbank Road, Glenfarg, was remanded in custody while a background report is prepared.

The accused was told that he had used “a significant degree of violence” - and it was not the first time he had caused injury to Ms Lowe.

It emerged he had been given a Community Payback Order last June for an earlier assault on the same woman who suffered a fractured arm.

Barclay had initially been charged with abducting his former partner, preventing her from leaving the vehicle and driving it away from the retail park on October 19, 2017.

But he had his guilty plea accepted to an amended charge of assaulting her, dragging her from the car and holding her against the fence, all to her injury.

Depute fiscal Carol Whyte said they had been together for about two years but had recently separated.

They had arranged to meet at 12.30pm that day to discuss their relationship.

“Their discussion turned into an argument and the accused lost his temper,” she explained.

He started to point his finger in Ms Lowe’s face, striking her glasses and causing the frame to hurt her nose.

She took her spectacles off but he grabbed them and crumpled them in his hand, causing them to break.

He then hit her across the face with his arm, striking her nose and top lip.

“Ms Lowe became very upset and was crying and screaming,” stated the fiscal.

“The accused then grabbed her by her arms and began to drag her from his car, causing her to fall to the ground.

“He was seen holding her against a fence by her arms by members of the public who had heard her screaming.”

She went to hospital where it was found she had pains to her feet and face, bruising and abrasions to her wrist, thigh and ankle, as well as swelling and bruising to her upper lip.

Fortunately no treatment was necessary.

Solicitor Pauline Cullerton asked that the accused be granted bail.

He had a job and his employers had indicated that was still open to him but “not for much longer.”

The lawyer added: “The complainer has kept in contact with him and they are both hopeful the relationship will continue once he has been dealt with.”

Due to the nature of the charge and the narrative he had been given - Sheriff William Wood remanded Barclay to await his fate on March 14.