Abuser is jailed

A Coltness man with an ”appalling” record for domestic violence has been jailed for 22 months for the latest attack on his partner.

Greig Owen punched the woman then hit her on the back of the head with an extendable metal baton.

At the time, Owen was on early release from a prison sentence imposed for assaulting the same victim.

He was jailed again after a sheriff rejected a plea for him to be given a chance to tackle his drink problem and “break the pattern of offending”.

Owen, 45, appeared from custody at Hamilton Sheriff Court last week.

He admitted assaulting the woman at a house in Innerleithen Drive, Coltness,on May 16.

Jennifer McLaren, prosecuting, said the couple have been in an onoff relationship for 26 years and have a grown-up son.

She told the court: “(The victim) was wakened at 2am by the accused pulling her from the bed.

“She landed on the floor and as she tried to stand up he punched her on the head, causing her to fall on to the bed.

“He seized her by the neck, but she pushed him away and went to the bathroom. He waited outside and grabbed her phone and threw it away when she came out.

“(The victim) retrieved it and tried to dial 999, but Owen picked up an extendable metal baton and struck her on the back of the head.”

The victim sustained a cut to the inside of her lip and a bump on the head, but declined medical attention.

Defence agent Margaret Chalmers pointed out that all but one of Owen’s previous convictions were for domestic abuse.

She admitted his treatment of the woman over the years has been “terrible” and said it was all down to his drink problem.

Mrs Chalmers told the court: “Neither of them seems to want this relationship to end.

“After his last period in prison they were back together within a matter of weeks. Things seemed to be progressing well, but then this happened.

“When he’s not drunk, my client is a very intelligent, nice man who looks after his family, but when he consumes alcohol to the degree that happened on this occasion the pattern continues.

“His memory of the latest incident is nil due to his level of intoxication.”

Mrs Chalmers said social workers had prepared a “robust” plan to let Owen address his drink problem while remaining at liberty.

She added: “If this pattern of offending is to be broken, he needs help.

“I ask that he be given an opportunity to show he can change.”

But Sheriff Colin Dunipace said only another prison stretch was appropriate.

He told Owen: “Your record for domestic offending is appalling.

“Of great concern is that you perpetrated a serious assault on this lady that resulted in a 27-month sentence in 2018.

“While on licence for that you carried out a vicious and sustained attack on her involving the use of a weapon.

“In the circumstances there is no alternative to a custodial sentence which will at least afford this lady some respite from your behaviour.”

Owen was also given a nonharassment order that prevents him having any contact with the woman for two years.