A Fife abuser repeatedly squeezed a girl’s neck, threatened to stab her in the stomach and poured beer over her head during an appalling course of violence and controlling behaviour.
Paul Lowe assaulted the teenager on various occasions and in one instance headbutted her in the face and broke her nose.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court also heard he controlled who she spoke to and demanded she send him photos to prove where she was.
He also repeatedly told her to kill herself.
On one occasion when she took an overdose, he told her to call an ambulance herself.
The course of abusive behaviour spanned two years and seven months.
The court also heard that Lowe, of Burntisland‘s Piper Crescent, illegally had sex with the girl when she was 15 and he was 17.
Refused to call 999
Procurator fiscal depute Claire Bremner said during one abusive episode a “drunk” Lowe had threatened to kill himself near Kirkcaldy‘s promenade and told the girl she’d “better feel guilty” when he did.
Lowe, now aged 20, sent a message the next morning telling her she was “worthless” and was “a problem”.
The fiscal depute said: “The complainer took an overdose, told the accused she’d taken pills and to get an ambulance and he told her to get one herself and that he is not helping her.
“A friend called it and she was taken to hospital.”
About a month later at Burntisland docks, Lowe called the girl derogatory names and kicked her on the shin when she was on the ground.
Ms Bremner said: “He poured a bottle of beer over her head.
“The accused asked the complainer to pour a bottle of beer over him and she poured beer over his arm and he shouted at the complainer and told her to go into the docks and kill herself.”
Ms Bremner said in another instance, following an argument, she had tried to flick a cigarette out of his hand when he seized her round the neck for five seconds, applied pressure and struck her on the thigh with his knee.
The fiscal depute said he also once headbutted her and broke her nose, causing her to fall and scream in pain.
Ms Bremner said Lowe would often raise his fists, making her flinch and cry and told her this was okay and would “make her stronger”.
Stab threat
On another occasion as they sat on a ledge in Burntisland, Lowe told the girl she was “crazy” and to jump off the ledge.
He took her phone and smashed the screen before pushing her down a hill, causing her to lose consciousness for a short period.
Ms Bremner said during another incident he grabbed the girl by the stomach and threatened to stab her.
Days later he jumped out of a wardrobe in the dark and screamed at her, causing her to suffer a panic attack.
The following day he punched her and laughed and said: “I have hit you harder than that before, you should not be making a big deal out of it.”
The court also heard that on other occasions Lowe had bitten the girl on her cheek and thigh.
Lowe appeared in the dock at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to admit the offending under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018.
It took place at various locations in Fife, including at hotels in Kirkcaldy and Edinburgh.
Lowe also pled guilty to having sex with the girl while she was under the legal age of consent.
He admitted two further charges of breaching bail conditions to not contact the girl.
Sheriff Ian Anderson adjourned sentencing until October 7 for background reports and Lowe was released on bail.
