Man found guilty of attacking woman by grabbing her throat

Sharaz Hayat cleared of holding baby wipe in child’s mouth at Glenrothes flat

A man accused of restricting a child’s breathing by placing a baby wipe in its mouth has been cleared by a jury but convicted of attacking a woman.

Sharaz Hayat begged the woman to phone police “because he felt like he wanted to hurt someone”, then leaned over and grabbed her throat.

Hayat, who had drunk a bottle of wine and four cans of beer, became angry after a baby began crying and wet herself when he drunkenly dropped her two feet on to the floor while he was trying to get her into her pyjamas, Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court was told.

The incident happened at the flat of a woman in Glenrothes, whom Hayat had been dating for eight months after meeting her on a lonely hearts site.

The woman, Nicole Scott, 29, said: “He told me to phone the police as he felt like he wanted to hurt someone.

“He sat down beside me and I asked him why he felt like that and he said he’d had similar thoughts for years.

“He then reached over and began choking me. He grabbed my throat really tight.

“I’m not sure if he used one hand or two. Either way, it was sore and I was struggling to breathe.”

Miss Scott, who said she was “scared”, said she tried to phone the police, but phoned Hayat’s phone by mistake.

Then she went upstairs and sent a WhatsApp message to a neighbour asking her to phone the police for her.

After a four-day trial, a jury of nine men and six women at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court took less than an hour to find Hayat guilty of assaulting Miss Scott to her injury.

A more serious charge of endangering the life of the child by restricting her breathing with the baby wipe in the incident on November 4 last year was found not proven.

Hayat explained the child had got some play slime in her mouth and he was trying to get it off her tongue.

Hayat, 30, a lorry driver, of Leith, Edinburgh, had denied both charges. Both verdicts were by majority. Sheriff James Williamson deferred sentence until December 10 for background reports, and continued Hayat’s bail.

I’m not sure if he used one hand or two. Either way, it was sore and I was struggling to breathe. NICOLE SCOTT

Sharaz Hayat, of Leith, was found guilty at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court of attacking the woman.