A Kirkcaldy thug once jailed for having a hammer in a street “for knocking c***s out” has been imprisoned again for compressing his then-partner’s throat in a terrifying attack.
Jason Aitken battered Stephanie Darcy at a property in Dallas Drive, Kirkcaldy, while he was out of prison on licence for the weapons offence.
He was brought from Perth Prison to Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, where it was revealed his victim has since died, through an unrelated cause.
Sheriff Alison McKay jailed him for 26 months.
‘Childhood trauma’ blamed
Aitken had pled guilty to assaulting his former partner on January 12 last year, by seizing her throat and compressing it.
He repeatedly punched her on the head and body, leaving her injured and repeatedly threatened her during the sustained attack.
Aitken was remanded the following day and solicitor Kieran Clegg confirmed Ms Darcy had died while he was in custody.
Mr Clegg said his client had endured childhood trauma.
He said: “In terms of the impact of that, some intervention, whatever form that takes, is required.”
Sheriff McKay imposed a period of six months post-release supervision, during which he must disclose any relationships he enters.
The sheriff said “with all the will in the world” she could not impose a community sentence.
“It was clear to me that you’re in a revolving door situation.
“You’re 33. You’re getting a bit old for it.”
Hammer incident
At the time of the offence, Aitken was still on licence after being released from HMP Perth in October 2021.
That sentence, of 13 and a half months, was imposed at Dunfermline Sheriff Court after Aitken was found with a hammer on a public street and told police “it’s for knocking c***s out”.
He was searched after a member of the public alerted officers, who found him staggering around East March Street in Kirkcaldy on March 11 and believed he was under the influence of drugs.
Before searching him, police asked him if he had anything that would harm them and he admitted having the hammer, which was found in his trouser pocket.
He later told them: “I don’t know why I had it.
“People run about with knives these days and I’m not having that.
“It’s for knocking c***s out.”
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