A sheriff has jailed an Angus domestic offender for his tenth offence in the space of two years in which he dragged his distressed girlfriend across a local street by the legs.
Thomas McNeil trashed a flat in Montrose after a day out turned to disaster for the couple, before launching an attack on the woman when she fled the property by climbing out of a window.
The 30-year-old accused, of Hill Street, Montrose appeared for sentence at Forfar Sheriff Court after admitting behaving in a threatening manner at Ferry Street, Montrose on July 7 and damaging two televisions, a table and a cupboard.
He also pled guilty to assaulting his partner by repeatedly seizing hold of her and dragging her along the ground.
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said the couple had planned a trip to Dundee but fell out before leaving over McNeil allegedly obtaining drugs.
“He alleged he had flushed them down the toilet and this was enough to convince her to go to Dundee,” added the fiscal.
McNeil then drank heavily in Dundee and the pair had another barney, returning to Montrose around 9.30pm.
The accused went out, but phoned his girlfriend to say he had bought more drugs.
Around 1am a neighbour heard McNeil’s voice in his flat and the sound of him damaging the property.
Ms Drummond said the partner had left the flat, but concerned about the welfare of her pets, she returned with a friend the following afternoon to pick up belongings.
She was then in the house when she heard McNeil banging at the door and demanding to get in.
“She decided to leave by climbing out a window, but then fell on the road and was aware of him standing over her,” the fiscal added.
“She pretended she couldn’t get up, he grabbed hold of her and began pulling her by the wrists. He let go of her and began pulling her along the road by the legs.”
Defence solicitor Nick Markowski said: “Despite this incident, and the fact that this social work report is very negative from the outside looking in, it does appear that the relationship is going to continue.”
Jailing McNeil for eight months, Sheriff Gregor Murray told him: “It is blindingly obvious that you are toxic to her, or she is toxic to you, or both.
“These are your ninth and tenth domestically aggravated offences in two years and it is only good fortune she was not injured.”
