Man who assaulted wife shows remorse

AFTER he assaulted his wife, a man was found unresponsive in a tent at Tiree Music Festival and had to be airlifted to hospital in Glasgow, Oban Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday.

Paul McGhee, formerly of Dunbeg, admitted abusive behaviour towards his wife, shouting, swearing and uttering offensive remarks and assaulting her by seizing her by the neck and punching her on the head, to her injury.

Sheriff Patrick Hughes was told that McGhee had been taking strong painkillers after knee surgery and had not been drinking for sometime, but had done so at the Tiree Music Festival on July 17 this summer.

He and his wife had been camping at the festival at An Talla, Crossapole, when she left the tent in the early hours of the morning to go to the toilet and was gone for a while, having stopped to talk to someone.

When she returned he began to call her offensive names and other derogatory remarks. He took hold of her by the throat and punched her on the head.

This was all heard by people camping nearby and some gathered around the tent which, in turn, attracted security personnel. His wife was seen to have a swollen, cut lip and bruising. ‘She said she didn’t want the police involved,’ said the procurator fiscal, Eoin McGinty, but security staff contacted officers a short time later.

Sometime after that McGhee was found in their tent and he was unresponsive. The decision was made to airlift him to hospital in Glasgow.

The day after he was seen by police and said during an interview: ‘Can I say a lot of injuries can be from jumping around at Tiree. It was pandemonium there.’

McGhee’s defence agent said: He is not trying to excuse his behaviour and he accepts responsibility and has shown deep remorse.’ He added there was no chance of reconciliation.

Sheriff Hughes said he had read the report prepared on McGhee, 39, and a character reference. He said: ‘In almost every other aspect he is a decent man and has contributed to the community.’

The sheriff placed McGhee on a community payback order for 12 months during which he will be supervised by the social work department, comply with any recommendations of his supervising officer and undertake 140 hours of unpaid work.