Court / Unpaid work for man who assaulted partner and damaged home ‘in some style’

A MAN whose behaviour left three women “extremely frightened”, which included damaging property by pouring wine throughout a house, has avoided being sent to prison.

Matthew Brown, formerly of Hoofields, Lerwick, but now living in East Kilbride, appeared for sentencing at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

During a court hearing last month, Brown, of Livingston Drive, pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner by hitting her on the head with a hairdryer and repeatedly pushing her on the body at an address in Lerwick on 22 October last year.

The 25-year-old also pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening abusive manner at the same location which included shouting, swearing, uttering offensive and derogatory remarks and throwing items.

Part of the offence was aggravated by religious prejudice, and both were committed whilst on bail.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told the court during the hearing in February that Brown was in an “excited state” on the day after watching football on TV.

He became argumentative when his partner had some friends over before going out.

The heard how he struck his partner with the hairdryer, and then damaged items in the house “in some style”, including smashing jars and glasses and throwing a wax burner.

“He then poured wine through the house, on the floors and carpets,” procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told the court during last month’s hearing.

He added that the three women were left “extremely frightened by his actions” – with one running away. The police were called.

Speaking in mitigation in court on Wednesday, defence agent Tommy Allan said his client accepts his behaviour had been unacceptable.

The solicitor added that no-one was injured in the incident and that Brown enjoys the support of his partner – the complainer in the charges – and is keen to work on the relationship. She was with him in court on Wednesday.

He said the criminal social justice report prepared over the four weeks since the last court hearing had brought to light a matter of mitigating factors including family background, trauma and the need for anger management.

Sentencing Brown to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work while under supervision for 18 months, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank described Brown’s conduct as “clearly a shocking behaviour within a domestic context”.

And he said: “Psychological effects of such behaviour can have a long-lasting impact”, adding that the community payback order was imposed as a direct alternative to a custodial sentence.