A migrant farm worker berated his wife in public, slapped her so hard she fell off a wall and then dragged her back by the hair so he could continue shouting at her.
Horrified witnesses called police when they saw the disturbing scene of domestic violence unfold before them on Perth’s Dunkeld Road.
Asen Manolov appeared at the city’s sheriff court and admitted the assault on June 29.
He said they had been arguing after their son had been arrested in their homeland of Bulgaria.
The 39-year-old’s victim told prosecutors she wanted her husband back home “as soon as possible”.
Reported to police
Fiscal depute Nicole Lewis told the court: “The accused was seen shouting at his wife in an aggressive manner, before grabbing her head and then slapping her across the face.
“At the time, she was sitting on a wall.
“The force of the slap caused her to fall off.
“The accused was then seen dragging her back onto the wall by her hair.
“He then continued shouting at her.”
The wife was “visibly upset and crying”.
“Police were contacted by three witnesses independently,” said Ms Lewis.
“None of them knew the accused or the complainer, his wife.”
When charged by police, Manolov told them: “I want to explain about what actually happened.
“It was an argument with my wife about my son driving in Bulgaria with no licence and being stopped by police.”
Manolov, who stays at Mains of Errol Farm Cottages, near Errol, pled guilty to assaulting his wife and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by repeatedly shouting at her.
Night in prison
Solicitor Mike Tavendale, defending, said: “When he first appeared in court, an interpreter could not be found and that meant he was taken into custody and spent a night in Perth Prison.
“This had a marked effect on him.
“He was later released on bail with the condition not to contact his wife, which was against her wishes.”
He said the pair had been working together on a farm in Perthshire and lived in a caravan on the site.
“Arrangements had to be made to make separate caravans available,” said Mr Tavendale.
“That allowed him to retain some of his liberty.”
The court was told a background report prepared by social workers showed Manolov had no underlying issue with women.
“This was an unfortunate disagreement following information they had received about their son, who had transgressed the law in Bulgaria,” said Mr Tavendale.
“He accepts that his behaviour was wholly unacceptable and he has expressed remorse to me.”
Mr Tavendale said his client was a first offender and had no criminal record outside the UK.
“I understand his wife wants him back home as soon as possible,” he told the court.
Ms Lewis confirmed Manolov’s partner was not in favour of a non-harassment order.
Sheriff Robert Vaughan deferred sentence for nine months to give Manolov the chance to prove he can stay out of trouble.
Bail conditions were removed so that he could return to his wife.
The sheriff told him: “I’m prepared to give you an opportunity to demonstrate to the court that this was an unusual, although unacceptable, incident.”
Manolov, who has been living and working in the UK for two years, will return to court for sentencing on May 10 next year.
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