Woman attacked former partners in jealous rage

A 34-year-old woman from the Highlands has been warned she could face jail for abusing two former partners during jealous rages.

Joanne Coombs had faced 13 charges of sustained domestic abuse towards both men, involving mobile phones, a broken glass and a knife.

Yesterday, she was found guilty of three of charges against her, with a jury at Inverness Sheriff Court taking just more than 90 minutes to return majority not proven verdicts on 10 of them.

During the trial, the court had heard evidence from her former partners Carl Wheatley, a 43-year old supermarket department manager, and 40-year-old forester Ian Scorgie.

At the conclusion of the evidence, fiscal depute Roderick Urquhart told the jury “it is uncommon for a woman to be charged with domestic abuse against men. The only person lying in this court is Joanne Coombs.”

But defence advocate Bill Adams urged the jury to acquit because they should

“The only person lying in this court is Joanne Coombs”

have “reasonable doubts” about both men’s evidence.

Hydrualic technician Coombs, of Ardcroy Road, Croy, near Inverness, had her sentence deferred until October 18 for a background report and her bail was continued.

But Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood told her, as she stood in tears in the dock, that she may be jailed.

“I can only stress that all possible options are still open to me,” he said.