A controlling and coercive boyfriend who threatened to petrol bomb the home of his then partner’s brother has been spared imprisonment.
Gavin Greer admitted engaging in an abusive course of conduct towards his partner between June 2017 and December 2019 at multiple locations in Dundee.
The city’s sheriff court heard how electrician Greer, 32, isolated the woman from her friends and family and repeatedly demanded to know her whereabouts.
He was caught after sending abusive messages to the woman while she was being interviewed by police.
He ‘became a nasty person’
His solicitor Jim Laverty told the court that first offender Greer had learned from the justice system.
“It’s clear that his remorse is genuine,” he said.
“He does not attempt to excuse his behaviour.
“He explains in the report why he became that nasty person.”
Mr Laverty said: “It is quite clear from my discussions that he fully accepts a significant degree of immaturity.”
The solicitor urged the court not to send his client to jail.
“Custody obviously would be a disaster for Mr Greer,” he said.
“We have a man who will not grace the doors of this court again.
“He has learned significantly from this experience.”
‘Reprehensible’ conduct
Sheriff Paul Brown placed Greer under supervision for two years and instructed him to complete 225 hours of unpaid work.
He described this as being at “the upper end” of community disposals.
Sheriff Brown also handed Greer a two year non-harassment order.
The sheriff said: “You pled guilty to a very serious offence.
“I take a very dim view of this offence.
“Your conduct was reprehensible.
“I’m persuaded in your case, just, that there is an alternative to imprisonment.”
Petrol bomb threat
Greer and the woman met through work in January 2016. She became pregnant in November that year.
It was during her difficulties with morning sickness that Greer demanded she stop speaking to her friends and family.
At a previous hearing, fiscal depute Marie Lyons said: “She couldn’t cope and left her house to go to her brother’s address with the accused following in his car.
“The accused threatened to petrol bomb his house and the house of her friend.”
Ms Lyons said: “In July 2017, she split from the accused because she couldn’t take any more of his controlling behaviour.
“He threatened to kill himself but she made the split permanent.
“However, she took him back after feeling guilty.”
Inundated with messages
There were no issues between the pair for several weeks but then Greer continued to isolate the woman from her loved ones.
The thug later pinned the woman against a wall and threw parts of a clothes horse at her.
Greer was not charged due to an insufficiency of evidence at the time.
The woman later ended the relationship but was inundated with messages and calls from Greer.
He messaged her first thing in the morning to ask what she was doing and where she was going, as well as making insulting remarks.
Police were eventually contacted following an incident in an Aldi car park, where Greer parked his car alongside the woman’s vehicle and began shouting at her.
He shouted about why the woman would not respond to his communications.
The woman and her friend went to Maryfield police office to report Greer and during an interview with officers, the lout sent a number of abusive messages, which were seen by officers.
Greer, of Baldovan Terrace, pled guilty to behaving abusively towards his former partner.
