A thug who attacked his wife will have to wait to learn his fate after he was convicted of domestic abuse for a third time.
William Symington, whose address was given as The Spruces, Dundee, appeared at the city’s sheriff court yesterday where he admitted assaulting his ex in a booze-fuelled rage on November 21 last year.
Fiscal depute Laura Bruce told the court the 35-year-old had arrived back to the house he shared with his victim after a night of drinking.
The pair began arguing because he was singing, then speaking loudly on his phone, and she was concerned he would wake up their children.
They followed each other around the house continuing the argument, which got more and more heated as they rowed over alleged affairs and financial issues.
The exchange became physical when the woman, who he had been in a relationship with for almost a decade, tried to take the phone from him.
Symington hit the woman on the head which caused her to stumble, before he shoved her over and then pinned her down.
She then retaliated and lashed out, and scratched his face.
The court heard Symington then called the police to report that he had been attacked.
However, the fiscal said he then subsequently handed himself into police the following day.
Symington’s defence agent Ian Myles told the court the couple had been in a “marriage of convenience” for financial reasons, but had been with different partners.
He said that the woman tried to grab the phone because he was talking so loudly, which led to a struggle and Symington had reacted violently.
Mr Myles said Symington regretted what had happened and both were no longer living together, and had separated entirely.
However, he said that the woman was keen to put the matter behind her so that Symington could have joint custody of their kids, who he had not seen since the incident.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown said she could not ignore Symington’s previous convictions for domestic assault.
But she said she would require for him to be assessed by social workers, and deferred sentence for reports until next month.
He was bailed in the meantime.
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