Man dragged wife by hair during assault

A drunken man subjected his wife of 35 years to a sustained attack, dragging her by the hair from the living room into the hallway.

She managed to break free and fled to her bedroom but he again got hold of her by the hair and tried to stop her contacting the police.

When officers arrived at their Blairgowrie home at around 6pm, the woman was described as “extremely upset and distressed.”

“She showed officers clumps of her hair and they took a photograph of a bald patch where hair had been pulled from her scalp,” depute fiscal Mairi Graham told Perth

Sheriff Court.

Sixty-one-year-old Stuart Clark was jailed for 74 days after pleading guilty to the assault, which took place at Lynwood, West George Street, on November 10 last year.

But the jail term was backdated to December 9 to reflect the time he had spent on remand.

Clark, who flouted a bail order three times within four days by returning to his home, also had a community payback order imposed as a direct alternative to jail and will be supervised for 24 months.

During that time he will have to take part in the Caledonian Men’s Programme, which supports those involved in domestic abuse, and undertake alcohol treatment.

Lawyer Pauline Cullerton produced e-mails from Mrs Clark stating that she wanted the relationship to continue.

But Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said he was not prepared to amend the bail conditions, banning contact, at this stage.

“There may be certain influence brought to bear on the person sending the email and I would prefer some third party confirmation of the position,” he explained.

He also ordered an early review of Clark’s progress on March 18.

The court was told the accused had started arguing with his wife and making abusive remarks as soon as she got up and started her daily chores.

Problems continued throughout the day and he was seen drinking alcohol in the conservatory about 3.30pm.

They later argued and he shouted: Get out of my f***ing house” before grabbing her by the hair.

The fiscal added: “He tried to open the front door while still holding onto her hair.”

She managed to get their landline and dial 999 before again escaping his clutches and hiding in a walk-in wardrobe.

Solicitor Pauline Cullerton said all of the incidents were down to “excess alcohol consumption.”

She added: “He has no intention to continue drinking alcohol on his release.”

Sheriff Foulis said the combination of offences, including the three bail breaches, could well result in a “significant period of custody being imposed.”

He noted the assault and the aggressive behaviour had taken place over a “sustained period” - starting about 9am and continuing until about 5pm or 6pm.

And he warned Clark if he did not engage with his social worker he would have “no hesitation” in jailing him.