Thug threatened to kill girl’s baby

A VIOLENT Dundee man who threatened to kill a schoolgirl’s unborn baby if she didn’t abort it has been spared a prison sentence.

Shaun Wilson choked and verbally abused three females between May 2013 and July 2020.

His reign of terror began when he was a 14-year-old schoolboy.

Wilson, now 22, previously pleaded guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court to attacking women at multiple addresses in Dundee and Arbroath.

A sheriff ordered Wilson, who has been on remand at HMP Perth since October, to perform unpaid work and take part in a programme for domestic offenders.

“They are serious matters,” Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC said.

“I have no doubt in my mind that these are offences that warrant custody for a significant period but you have been on remand since October 2.”

Wilson has also been banned from contacting the women for five years.

It was revealed how Wilson’s first victim had to seek assistance from Women’s Aid and suffered a deterioration in her mental health.

Wilson grabbed the woman by the throat on two separate occasions between May 2013 and May 2014.

Fiscal depute Marie Irvine described how Wilson reacted angrily after the woman said she was pregnant.

Ms Irvine said: “She told him she was pregnant around March 2014 and the accused told her to have an abortion or he would kill the baby anyway.”

Wilson met the second woman after previously working with her in Arbroath.

The court heard how Wilson gritted his teeth and forced his head towards her in Asda, Milton of Craigie, before a later incident which saw him threaten to smash up her bedroom if she did not drive him home.

Ms Irvine added: “She believed he was serious and took him home. He berated her throughout and laughed at her. She described this as a psychotic laugh.”

Another incident saw him grab her by the throat with a “firm grip”.

The third victim had known Wilson for several years before his attack.

It was revealed how Wilson smashed his own TV before punching holes in a wall in an argument before seizing her throat in July 2020.

She would later be choked again by Wilson after he suspected her of speaking to other men.

“He grabbed her by the throat and shouted ‘if you shout I am going to kill you,’ Ms Irvine added.

“The accused left to go to the shop. The complainer was terrified and made no attempt to leave.

“The accused returned later with crisps and sweets and told her he was sorry.”

Wilson pleaded guilty to seizing the first woman’s neck, shouting, swearing and threatening her between May 1 2013 and May 31 2014.

The second woman had her neck seized by Wilson in Dundee between April 1 2017 and August 31 2017 before being verbally abused at the same address, Asda Milton of Craigie and the Ashludie roundabout.

Between July 11 and July 25 2020 at another Dundee address, Wilson damaged a TV and wall before seizing the third woman’s neck, demanding to see her mobile, seizing it, refusing to return it and seizing her neck.

He also breached bail conditions on September 7.

Defence solicitor Paul Parker-Smith said Wilson had been employed as a groundworker in Whitfield prior to his remand and would benefit from a community programme requirement.

Wilson was made subject to a community payback order with two years of supervision and a requirement to participate in the Caledonian Programme.

He was ordered to perform 200 hours of unpaid work.