Man faces jail sentence for partner murder bid

Cox, 33, punched and bit then-girlfriend before compressing her neck

A Dundee man is facing a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of attempting to murder his partner.

Dennis Cox, 33, subjected Janine Stewart to a terrifying attack at a house in Balunie Avenue, Dundee, on November 20 2018.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Cox punched and bit Ms Stewart before grabbing and compressing her neck.

Cox, who has 41 previous convictions, then threw Ms Stewart across the room.

Jurors also heard how on April 12 2019, Cox assaulted her again.

Cox was further convicted yesterday of two assaults, including one brutal hammer attack.

On March 31 2019, at an address in Ballidean Road, Dundee, Cox assaulted George Lamb by striking him on the head and attempted to strike him on the body with a hammer.

Judge Lord Arthurson heard Cox had dozens of previous convictions and had served a number of prison sentences.

“I wasn’t exactly sure what it was. I thought it was maybe like a hammer. GEORGE LAMB

However he deferred sentence to obtain reports about his character.

The judge also ordered a specialist report about the risk Cox poses to the public.

Cox pled not guilty to all charges but jurors found him guilty following a week-long trial.

They had heard evidence about how Cox had targeted his then-partner on two occasions in November 2018 and April 2019.

He subjected Ms Stewart to a terrifying ordeal during the incidents.

During the trial, George Lamb, 32, of Dundee, told the court how he came to be assaulted by Cox.

He told the jury he knew Cox and he also knew the woman – not Ms Stewart – Cox was seeing at this time.

Mr Lamb told jurors that this woman was staying at his then-home at Ballindean Road and during the evening, Cox asked if she was there.

He told Cox she was not but later heard banging on the door before Cox suddenly appeared inside.

He said: “He wasn’t happy with me obviously because I told him basically his girlfriend wasn’t there.”

The jury heard he was then hit with an object which Cox was carrying.

He added: “I wasn’t exactly sure what it was. I thought it was maybe like a hammer.”

With his head bleeding, he managed to run past Cox but he continued hitting him with the hammer.

Mr Lamb said: “He was saying things like ‘I told you not to lie to us’.” He said that Cox was calling his girlfriend names and that the accused maybe assaulted her at this time.

Mr Lamb said he phoned an ambulance.

Cox was arrested by police. He first appeared in court in connection with the charges on April 16 this year.

Yesterday defence advocate Tim Niven Smith told Lord Arthurson that he would reserve his mitigation until the sentencing hearing.

He added: “I will reserve my position until that date.”

Cox will appear at the High Court in Glasgow for sentencing tomorrow.