The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Gardener locked up after savage beating of woman and child
DUNFERMLINE: 38-year-old attacked adult and child in brutal attack
A Fife man has been jailed after savagely beating a woman and a child just five days before Christmas.
Alistair Hugill appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier admitting two charges of assault to injury.
The 38-year-old admitted launching the brutal attack at a property in Lawrence Street, Dunfermline, on December 20 last year.
During the attack, he assaulted the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, by grabbing her neck and compressing it.
He then pushed her face down on to a bed and knelt on her back causing her breathing to be restricted.
Hugill also admitted grabbing the woman’s arm during the struggle to restrict her movement before again pinning her to the bed. Hugill, of Crossroads Place in Rosyth, then turned his attention to a child who was in the property at the time.
He admitted repeatedly slapping the youngster on the head and dragging the child around by the body.
The child was knocked to the ground and repeatedly kicked on the body.
Hogill’s defence solicitor James Moncrieff said: “Mr Hugill does not recall the details of what occurred but, having seen the statements, he is prepared to accept that this occurred as described.
“As a result, he accepts that this is a very serious matter.
“He accepts he threw a glass of wine over her and pursued her before a struggle ensued but he cannot recall what happened after that.”
He added that his client, who worked as a landscape gardener, was remanded in custody following the assault and was only released on December 28.
Sheriff James Williamson said: “This was a sustained and violent attack.
“I’m not prepared to give you anything other than a custodial sentence.”
Hugill was given a 20 months sentencing for assaulting the woman and an additional 12 months for attacking the child.
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He accepts that he threw a glass of wine over her and pursued her before a struggle ensued but he cannot recall what happened after that