Thug found guilty of battering his partner

Victim left with broken nose and‘clicking’cheekbone

A Hamilton man who “showed no remorse whatsoever” has been found guilty of attacking and severely injuring his partner.

James Nisbet, whose address was given in court as Addiewell Prison, repeatedly grabbed Ashley Steele by the hair and head at a Swisscott Avenue address between February and August 2013, and shouted threats of violence.

Twenty-five-year-old Nisbet grabbed Ms Steele by the arms and shook her, repeatedly punched, causing her to fall, and kicked and stamped on her.

He also chased her through the house and kicked open a locked door before grabbing her by the neck and compressing it.

On the first day of the trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court last week, Nisbet pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting his partner to her severe injury and lodged a special defence of incrimination, stating Ms Steele’s father John was responsible.

Questioned by fiscal depute Lauren Mcrobert last Thursday, Ms Steele (25) spoke about the treatment she received for a broken nose.

The witness explained to the court that she had to undergo surgery months after the alleged incident had taken place once the swelling in her nose had reduced.

However, despite the operation, a lump remains on the bridge of her nose.

She pointed out: “They can’t get it to go back into place.

“That’s the best [the doctor] could do in surgery”. She also explained how a broken cheekbone “still clicks” and gets sore on occasion.

She also frequently suffers from headaches, she said.

While Ms Steele had been in hospital, she said she received a phone call from the accused’s mother asking her to tell the police her injuries were due to a fall.

Police, she added, would not let her go until they had taken photos of her injuries.

These showed bruising around her eyes, nose, neck, shoulders and chest, she said.

Ms Mcrobert asked Ms Steele if she had told police what the accused had done when the photos were taken.

She replied: “No. I told them I had fallen”.

When asked why, she replied: “His mum told me to. I was frightened.”

After leaving hospital, Ms Steele said, she went to Nisbet’s mum’s house.

She said that she did so because she did not want her own family to know what had happened to her.

Ms Mcrobert asked her what she was scared of and the witness replied: “[Nisbet] and his family.” She said that she remained at Nisbet’s mother’s house for a couple of weeks, where the accused was also residing.

However, she said that Nisbet “didn’t show any remorse whatsoever.”

The court then heard that following a conversation with her mother, Ms Steele’s attitude changed.

Ms Steele told the fiscal depute: “It wasn’t like he was sorry.

“If it was me who had done that to someone I would feel disgusted with myself.

“I would feel he didn’t show that.

“He acted happened.”

Nisbet was found guilty of the attacks after a trial.

He was also convicted of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner and failing to appear at court for solemn proceedings.

Sheriff Ray Small deferred sentence until June 15 for so guilty anything like nothing but like had Criminal reports.

Nisbet in custody. Justice was Social Work remanded

It wasn’t like he [Nisbet] was sorry. If it was me who had done that to someone I would feel disgusted with myself. He acted like nothing had happened.