News / Assault offence lands man prison stint
A MAN from Lerwick who assaulted his former partner by punching her on the head and scratching and biting her has been sent to prison and been given a non-harassment order.
Kyle Swannie, of Bakland, was jailed for around six months at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday after being sentenced for a series of offences.
The 21 year old previously admitted assaulting his former partner by punching her on the head and body, seizing hold of her, holding her against a fridge, seizing her by the hair, scratching her on the head and biting her on the finger to her injury.
The incident took place at an address at Lerwick’s Ladies Drive on 6 January. He also admitted conducting himself in a disorderly manner, fighting with another man and committing a breach of the peace that day.
Swannie had also pled guilty to breaching bail by approaching the woman on a social media video call on 28 January.
He was also given time in prison for behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Lerwick’s Tesco supermarket on 13 June by shouting, swearing and making threatening gestures. Swannie was previously given 75 hours of unpaid work to complete but the order was revoked.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday that the domestic incident occurred after Swannie and his new partner attended a social gathering hosted by his ex-girlfriend.
The fiscal said Swannie’s ex left the flat to walk a dog, but he followed her and made comments about wanting to get back together.
These were rejected, Mackenzie said, and more drinks were consumed before a minor argument developed about clothes the woman was wearing which had been bought for her by Swannie.
The fiscal said this escalated “dramatically” before Swannie assaulted her. The complainer’s current partner intervened and Swannie bit him on the face.
Mackenzie said both of the victims received only “superficial” injuries.
He added that the crown would be calling for a non-harassment order to be placed on Swannie in relation to the complainer.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said Swannie and his partner had been invited to the flat by the complainer, despite things still being “raw” between them.
He said the encounter took place in the kitchen space of the bedsit and was “over fairly quickly”.
Mackenzie, meanwhile, said the incident at Tesco was a case of mistaken identity.
“He mistook the complainer for someone who he believed to have reported him to the authorities,” he said.
The fiscal said Swannie challenged her before leaving in a taxi and making a gun gesture at her.
“She was quite distressed by the incident,” Mackenzie said.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said they were “serious” offences and noted that “damage is often long-lasting and traumatic” in domestic cases.
He decided that the “gravity of these offences” was enough to merit custody and gave Swannie a total of 173 days in prison.
The sheriff also placed him on a non-harassment order for 18 months.
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