Wedding day attack led to years of abuse

Misery: Husband who put his wife through 37 years of beatings faces lengthy jail term

A husband from hell who set the tone for decades of married misery by battering his bride on their wedding day was yesterday facing years in jail.

John Ormond put his wife through 37 years of hell with repeated violent attacks that often hospitalised her.

In tear-jerking evidence at a trial at Dundee Sheriff Court she told how Ormond even set about her after they returned home from their wedding in August 1980 – battering her and ripping her clothes.

She told jurors that she stuck by Ormond despite the horror start to their marriage because “we were married in a church and I stuck to the vows as much as I could until I couldn’t take any more”.

Fiscal depute Vicki Bell told the jury: “For better or for worse is the vow I assume she refers to.”

A year before their wedding Ormond broke his future wife’s arm after he chased her, pushed her down and repeatedly kicked her.

Despite that she went through with the wedding, only to be attacked when they returned home from the reception.

Ormond then subjected her to years of torment – on one occasion nine years into their marriage brutally beating her and kicking her on Christmas

“The accused’s evidence was confused. He accepted there were arguments but denied violence

Day, leaving her with broken ribs.

However, his wife covered up the abuse and refused to tell doctors who treated her how she came by the injuries until decades later.

The court was told Ormond “ruined everything – from holidays to Christmas” for his family for decades.

He now faces years in jail after he was convicted of 12 assault charges spanning 37 years following a four-day trial.

A sheriff told him he caused “catastrophic consequences” for his wife because of his “appalling series of criminal conduct”.

Fiscal depute Vicki Bell told the jury: “Crime has no sell-by date in Scotland.

“These crimes date back to the 70s. We are dealing with a catalogue of prolonged abuse.

“The accused’s evidence was confused. He accepted there were arguments but denied violence.”

However, defence advocate Jonathan Crowe urged jurors to acquit Ormond and said there was “reasonable doubt” in the case.

He added: “You may have from the start had an overwhelming urge to find him guilty.

“From the moment you heard the indictment you will have thought ‘what a terrible man that is sitting there’.

“He vehemently denies these allegations.”

Ormond, 67, of Christies Lane, Montrose, denied 15 charges of assault.

A jury took just two hours to find him guilty of 12 of them, with the remaining three not proven.

Sheriff Tom Hughes deferred sentence until January and granted Ormond bail so he can “get his affairs in order” before he faces a lengthy jail term.