Police officer denies attacking girlfriend

Woman claims she was ‘intimidated, bullied and manipulated’ during relationship

A riding instructor wept as she told a court her police-officer lover had “nipped, grabbed and placed her in a headlock” during a 20-month long campaign of violence and stalking.

The woman said Scott McGregor “intimidated, bullied and manipulated” her during their relationship and threatened to commit suicide.

She told Perth Sheriff Court that she suspected McGregor had secretly placed a tracking device on her phone as he would turn up in random places to find her.

The 32-year-old told the court she worked for the owners of an estate and had known McGregor previously and they shared a love of horses.

She said she formed a relationship with him after he got in touch with her through Facebook, but said his “controlling” behaviour started almost immediately.

She said the relationship lasted around 20 months, and that she had tried to break it off “15 to 20 times” but had repeatedly been persuaded by McGregor to take him back.

The woman, from Perth, said McGregor “forced” her to behave in a certain way, but she admitted staying with him until she sought help from Women’s Aid.

Giving evidence behind screens, she said: “He threatened me with suicide. I said: ‘Are you going to disappear or kill yourself?’ He said I had never spoken a truer word, whilst he was right in my face.”

She told the trial McGregor regularly “pinched and grabbed” her and left bruising on her skin, which the court was shown pictures of.

On one occasion, she said, he grabbed her around the head from behind and lifted her whole body off the ground.

She said: “I couldn’t breathe or speak at the time. When you can’t breathe, it felt like longer than it probably was.”

She told the trial McGregor would often turn up at her work, her home or her friends’ houses uninvited and would be seen driving up and down the street outside.

She said: “I felt absolutely crushed in everything I did in life because of this relationship with Scott.

“I felt ashamed as though I had let myself down. I felt vulnerable. I had an overall horrible feeling. I felt as though he had controlled me.”

McGregor, 29, of Perth, denies that on various occasions between August 1 2016 and February 16 2018 in Perth and in a car he assaulted his then-girlfriend by repeatedly nipping her on the body, grabbing her wrist and twisting her arm behind her back and placing her in a headlock to her injury.

He also denies that between August 1 2016 and April 5 2018 he engaged in a course of conduct that caused her fear or alarm.

The trial, before Sheriff Keith O’Mahony, continues.

I felt ashamed, as though I had let myself down. I felt vulnerable. I had an overall horrible feeling. I felt as though he had controlled me

Scott McGregor arrives at court. He is accused of assaulting his then-girlfriend and engaging in a course of conduct that caused her fear or alarm.