Abuser branded ‘a danger to women’

A man was branded“a danger to women”before being jailed at Dumfries Sheriff Court.

Edwin Lyons, 33, carried out a horrific and sustained campaign of verbal abuse against a woman between May 1 and June 3, 2022, at an address in Dunscore.

His catalogue of abusive behaviour included: shouting and swearing, referring to the victim in derogatory terms, uttering threats, accusing her of infidelity, persistently phoning the woman and messaging her demanding to know her whereabouts and who she was with and what she was doing, plus attempting to stop or restrict her contact with family and friends.

Lyons, described in court as a prisoner of HMP Dumfries, also admitted, between the dates of February 1, 2023 and May 30, 2023, at two other addresses in Dumfries, being abusive to another woman by repeatedly shouting, swearing and threatening her with violence; referring to her in derogatory terms; persistently telephoning and messaging her demanding to know where she was and who with and what she was doing; accusing her of infidelity; monitoring her calls and messages; snapping her mobile phone in half and only allowing her to use another mobile phone when he was outwith her company and checking the contents of it when he returned; controlled the way she dressed and her hair plus make-up and made her send pictures for his approval.

Lyons also attempted to stop the second victim or restricted her contact with family and friends and, on one occasion, threw a sports bag and contents at her body to her severe injury; seized her by the body, pushed and bit her on the body then on various and repeated occasions punched, slapped, kicked and stamped on her head, and body all to her severe injury.

He appeared from custody and pleaded guilty to the offences.

Sheriff Colm Dempsey said:“You have eight previous domestic convictions.

“You have acted in a cruel, calculating and demeaning way towards your partner.

“And your attitude towards (the second woman) is particularly callous.

“You pose a high risk of re-offending and you are a danger to women.

“Standing your record and nature of offences, there’s no alternative to a sentence of imprisonment.

“If I had been dealing with you after trial it would be 24 months imprisonment.

“Standing your plea of guilty that will be reduced to 18 months imprisonment backdated to May 31, 2023.”

Sheriff Dempsey also imposed a non-harassment order of five years whereby he has no contact in any way with either women for that period.