Jail for man who hit partner with metal pole

Victim suffers serious head wound

A 51-year-old man who brutally attacked his childhood sweetheart with a metal vacuum handle at a Perth city centre flat was jailed for three years this week.

And to “protect the public from serious harm,” Michael McLellan had a 12-month supervised release order imposed.

Perth Sheriff Court was told the victim, 50-year-old Shona McGregor, suffered a serious head wound which “bled profusely.”

She was struck twice with the weapon and was taken to hospital where she had four stitches inserted under a local anaesthetic.

McLellan, described as a prisoner at Perth, admitted an amended charge that on May 5, 2019, at a flat in Low Street, Perth, he assaulted his partner with the metal pole, to her severe injury.

Part of the charge which alleged he pursued Ms McGregor down a flight of stairs, seized her by the throat, pinned her against a wall, restricting her breathing, and repeatedly punched her on the head and body was deleted.

A not guilty plea was accepted to a second charge of repeatedly shouting and swearing at the woman, making derogatory remarks towards her and throwing household items.

Perth solicitor John McLaughlin said the accused and his partner had been looking after McLellan’s brother who was seriously ill as a result of alcohol dependency.

It was a “difficult time” for them and they hadn’t been getting much sleep.

They went to the flat in Low Street to “get some respite” but an argument, which had been “festering” for some time, developed over a pregnancy.

“He accepts his conduct was