Man jailed after he choked his pregnant girlfriend until blue

A Forfar man who choked his pregnant girlfriend until she was blue in the face has been jailed.

Lee Tough, 28, of Kelmsley Park, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of assault to injury and danger of life committed in January 2013 and an assault to injury committed in February 2013.

Sheriff Tom Hughes jailed Tough for two-and-a-half years and ordered he be monitored for a year upon his release.

Dundee Sheriff Court was told that a Miss Boath, Tough’s girlfriend, was between two and three months pregnant at the time of the attacks.

Fiscal depute Karen Wilson said: “On a date in January 2013 she and the accused were at home with friends, including Alicha Scott.

“The accused and complainer began arguing, with the accused becoming more angry.

“He approached the complainer, who was sitting on a sofa, climbed on top of her, straddled her, placing his legs around her body and pinning her there.

“He placed his hands around her neck and began to squeeze, causing her to struggle for breath. The complainer had initially been screaming but Miss Scott observed the complainer could no longer scream and was turning blue.

“It was at this stage that Miss Scott intervened, pushing the accused in an attempt to get him off the complainer.”

The fiscal said that in the later assault Tough placed his hands around his girlfriend’s neck, pushed her against a mattress which was propped against a wall and pinned her there, squeezing his hands around her neck and causing her to struggle for breath. The same friend again intervened.