Bully jailed for horror attack on his girlfriend

Thug beat woman and sprayed deodrant into her eyes

A brute who sprayed deodorant directly into his girlfriend’s eyes during a savage beating has been caged for 34 months - and will be closely watched for a year after his release.

Robert Crichton, 42, repeatedly punched and sprayed the substance into partner Jacqueline McWhirter ’ s face, leaving her struggling to see with her eyes stinging during a horrific attack.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard Crichton - who has racked up 72 previous convictions including offences of domestic violence and robbery - also threatened to kill her during the onslaught at her home in Glenburn on May 19 last year.

Crichton appeared from custody for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting his partner to her severe injury and impairment.

He also admitted a charge of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner, shouting, swearing and repeatedly banging her door, and to breaching conditions of his bail.

Sheriff Colin Pettigrew, who adjourned sentencing to call for background reports, told him there was only sentence appropriate given the serious nature of the offence and that was a custodial one.

Jailing Crichton, he told him: “Your record is a lengthy one.

“I agree with the author of the report. You have 72 previous convictions, some at solemn and some at summary, including five assaults, four of which have domestic aggravation.

“This offence was committed while you were on bail.

“Each of the three charges will have only one possible disposal and that is a custodial sentence.”

The court heard tanked- up Crichton shouted at his victim: “I will stab you.

“I don’t care about the jail. I will kill you. I don’t mind. I will do life for killing you.”

The bully also warned Ms McWhirter that he had his “tools there” at her flat and threatened: “If I find you with another boy, I will kill the both of you.”

He rained blows on her and sprayed the deodorant directly into her face, after she told him to get out of her home.

Defence agent Jonathan Manson said his client understood he was facing a jail sentence “given his significant record and that this is a serious matter.”

He added his client had a “history of drug abuse” which had sent him down a “grim road” of offending.

He asked the court taken into account his pleas of guilty to the charges and the time had already spent in jail while on remand.

Sheriff Pettigrew imposed a total 34 months in prison and also handed him a Non Harrassment Order lasting five years, which prevents him from contacting or approaching Ms McWhirter.

He added: “To protect the public from serious risk of harm, you will be placed under supervision of the local authority for 12 months on your release.

“You will also attend drugs and alcohol counselling as directed.

“Breach that order and you will be brought back to court from where you will return to prison.”