Child reveals domestic abuser hiding upstairs

Aman who repeatedly assaulted and threatened to kill his partner was found hiding from police at her Alyth home just days after he was released from jail.

John Rowlands was caught breaching a court order when a child at the property let slip he was in an upstairs bedroom.

The 36-year-old was given a three-year nonharassment order (NHO) in 2020 for attacking his girlfriend by grabbing her neck and pinning her to the ground.

He also sent her a string of abusive messages, including threats to burn down her house.

He received a further two-year NHO from Forfar Sheriff Court in November last year after he attacked the same woman again at McDonald’s in Monifieth.

Rowlands, previously of Callander Gardens, Dundee, returned to the dock – albeit via video from Perth Prison – and admitted breaching the court order by being at his victim’s home in Alyth on February 8.

He also pled guilty to driving her car while disqualified and with no insurance.

Prosecutor Emma Farmer confirmed Rowlands had previous convictions for, among other things, domestically aggravated assault and attempted robbery.

“The accused was liberated from HMP Perth on February 2,” she told Perth Sheriff Court.

“As part of the nonharassment order issued in

November 2023, the accused was prohibited from contacting or communicating with the complainer or approaching her address.”

The order was later amended to allow Rowlands to contact his ex for certain legal matters, but he was still banned from going to her home in Alyth.

“On the evening of February 8, neighbours observed the complainer at her house.

“They saw the accused leaving by the rear door.

“The accused then entered the complainer’s vehicle and drove off.

“He did not have permission to use the vehicle.”

Rowlands returned a short time later and went inside the house, Ms Farmer said.

“Police attended to trace the accused.

“The complainer advised officers that the accused was not there and she had not been in contact with him.”

A child who was at the property told the woman, in the police officers’ presence: “Don’t lie, he’s upstairs.”

“The complainer then scolded the child and called him a liar,” the fiscal depute said.

“The accused was then traced within a bedroom.”

Solicitor Doug McConnell, defending, said: “The complainer is not supportive of a nonharassment order, but one is already in place, and that’s the difficulty here.”

He said: “He had taken the car to go to the shops and get groceries, and he knows he should not have done that.”

Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC jailed Rowlands for four months.

The sentence is backdated to when he was first remanded in February.

Rowlands was further banned from driving for five years.

John Rowlands.