Accused bit partner on the mouth

A Stirling thug who breached bail by contacting his former partner – imposed after he had attacked her by biting her on the mouth – was given a total of 60 hours’ unpaid work last week.

Luke McCormack, of Cultenhove Crescent, had bitten Caeleigh McPhee at a flat in Stirling’s Middlemuir Road on November 4 last year.

He had also seized her by the hair and clothing, bit her on the cheek, caused her to strike her head on a sink and kicked her on the body.

The 22 year-old had been made subject to a bail condition when he appeared in court on November 5 forbidding him from communicating or contacting Ms McPhee or attempting to do so. This however was breached on December 12 last year and February 9 this year.

McCormack has admitted charges of breaching bail and assaulting Ms McPhee to her injury. All the charges were aggravated by abuse of a partner or ex-partner.

According to the fiscal depute the December 12 phone call had resulted in an argument and Ms McPhee terminated the call. McCormack however called back half an hour later and she told him to stop contacting her.

The court was told that McCormack had accused the witness of having a relationship with his friends.

The February 9 breach occurred at a house in Cambusbarron.

His agent Frazer McCready pointed out that McCormack had been given a community payback order in October, but “had not been able to deal with his ongoing difficulties with drugs.” More recent offences were all drugrelated, he added.

Prior to the December conviction McCormack had never previously breached a special bail condition, said the lawyer, and had never committed an offence with a bail aggravation.

Mr McCready suggested that a fresh community payback order with supervision “to allow him to get help in the community.”

The lawyer pointed out he had told McCormack that if he “didn’t sort himself out he would end up on the slab.”

McCormack, he added, told him that he has been dealing with his drug addiction through Narcotics Anonymous. Mr McCready emphasised: “It would benefit Mr McCormack if he were to remain at liberty.”

He also said that McCormack was also attending the Signpost Recovery programme.

Sheriff William Gilchrist imposed two community payback orders of 30 hours’ unpaid work each to be completed within four months.

The terms were discounted from 45 hours each due to the guilty pleas.

He deferred sentence on the assault matter until May 29.

Stirling University has received a share of £850,000 to lead research aiming to inspire international action on marine plastic pollution.

The project will calculate the economic costs of environmental damages associated with marine plastic and the benefits of a cross-country clean up.