A sadistic brute kicked a terrified mother in the stomach while she held on to a pram, containing her newborn, on a flight of stairs.
Andrew Neave, 26, was recently locked up for 28 months after leaving a pub-goer lying in a pool of blood following a vicious attack in Montrose.
But at a court appearance at Forfar Sheriff Court on Thursday, Neave was handed a consecutive nine month sentence for charges including assault on his former partner.
Victim Linzi Brennan, 27, had been in a relationship with Neave for a year and half – and described how his abusive behaviour left her “constantly walking on eggshells”.
“Every relationship has problems but it got to a point where I just kept quiet to keep the peace,” she said.
However, a traumatic assault in June last year was the final straw.
‘I remember it so well’
Mum-of-three Linzi had just given birth to their daughter by c-section 11 days before, and was still in physical pain from the procedure.
She said: “He woke up that morning in a foul mood – and just went off on one, starting to smash the place up.
“When he smashed the stereo, I put a jacket on my eldest and got the kids out as quickly as I could.
“It was just awful – I remember it so well. I could hardly move myself.
“I had to get the pram into the close and start going down two flights of steps. He came up behind me as I was holding the pram on the stairs and he grabbed the pram.
“I tried to get his hand off, at which point he said ‘that’s assault’, then he grabbed me by the neck and kicked me in the stomach.
“I was in agony already and just kept desperately trying to keep hold of the pram when it happened.
“I was petrified and so were the kids.”
Three neighbours came to Linzi’s aid and phoned her mother, who came straight away.
Linzi then visited social work services and contacted the police. A visit to the doctor for a check-up revealed she had suffered internal bruising
Days later, a bunch of flowers arrived at her door, with a message saying, ‘Will be thinking of you always’.
“I thought at first they could be from a neighbour but in the back of my mind I felt sick,” she said.
“Police later confirmed they had been sent by him. That was his way of telling me he knew where we were. I had to move house.
Sentence ‘not enough’
Linzi said Neave’s nine month sentence was “definitely not enough but it was better than nothing”.
“Still to this day, I’m not back to normal and my eldest, 6, was traumatised,” she said.
“He’s had nothing to do with us since that day, and he never will. No chance.”
Neave, 26, of Strathmore Place, Montrose, was handed a nine month sentence in total for breach of the peace on July 29, 2019 at Murray St, Montrose, and breach of the peace at Restenneth Drive, Forfar, on October 13, 2019 – including behaving in a threatening manner towards his partner and damaging a door.
He also carried out a breach of the peace on June 16, 2019 at Restenneth Drive, Forfar, by behaving in a threatening manner towards his partner and punching a stereo; and assaulting her on the same date by kicking her on the body.
Neave also breached bail on June 18-22 2020 by repeatedly contacting the woman.
On January 25 at Dundee Sheriff Court, Neave was sentenced to 28 months after knocking a man unconscious at the Lochside Bar, on North Esk Street, Montrose.
He repeatedly punched and kicked his victim as he lay on the ground and then punched Irina West on the face.
Neave was arrested and was abusive towards officers during the journey from Montrose to police headquarters on Dundee’s West Bell Street.
Neave, now a prisoner at HMP Perth, previously admitted attacking the Wests on August 30 last year.
He pleaded guilty to causing Mr West injury and permanent disfigurement.
