Fife pensioner admits carrying out terrifying series of violent attacks

A Fife pensioner who subjected his former partner to a terrifying ordeal by abducting and torturing her has been jailed for six years at the High Court in Glasgow.

Norman Watt, 67, a prisoner at Perth, admitted locking his victim Connie Mccallum in a house in Old Mill Court, Leven, and committing a series of violent assaults over an eight-day period between August 8 and 16 2018.

She was only rescued when a postman visiting her bungalow heard her calls for help and saw the extent of her injuries, noticing dried blood and bruises on her skin and blood spatters on the living room wall.

Watt, who had faced an attempted murder charge which was later reduced by the Crown, initially told police that his victim had been lying and that the injuries had been self-inflicted.

However, he has since admitted responsibility for his crimes.

Judge Lord Boyd told him: “I have read her victim statement and it is clear what has happened has had a significant effect on her.”

Watt’s sickening catalogue of abuse included striking his partner on the body with various objects including a bottle, a walking stick, a knife and a belt; repeatedly burning her hand and attempting to burn her eyes with a lit cigarette; choking her with a cardigan and a belt which was placed around her neck; biting her on the body and hitting her with a table; and punching her on the head and body until she lost consciousness.

Watt also pushed a cushion over her face, placed his hand over her mouth, cut her face with glass and put his legs around her neck and compressed it.

All of that was done to her severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of her life.

The court had previously heard that Watt had been in a “volatile” relationship with Ms Mccallum, where alcohol and substance misuse was a major factor.

The beatings apparently began when Ms Mccallum asked Watt to turn down the radio to respect her elderly neighbours, but he lashed out by punching her on the face and body while they were sitting on the couch.

It escalated from there, with Watt smashing up her mobile phone to prevent her summoning help.

Advocate Kevin Mccallum said his client could not recall the behaviour libelled but accepted responsibility for his actions.

He added that Watt was no longer in a relationship with his victim and was taking action to address his alcohol and drug use, having been abstinent from alcohol and heroin for around a year.