A serial domestic abuser who admitted a catalogue of “vile” and “cowardly” offences against four ex-girlfriends has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.
James Stewart, 24, was described as “excessively violent” and a risk to woman.
He was told he would have been handed an even stiffer sentence if he was a few years older.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how Stewart held out a lighter and threatened to torch his partner while she lay in bed with a baby.
He performed a “spinning kick” on another girlfriend, leaving her in “excruciating” agony, because he did not want her to go out with her friends.
Stewart, from Perth, further threatened to throw boiling water over a woman and a child, routinely spat into a partner’s face and smashed up another girlfriend’s phone because she had male friends on Facebook.
He returned to the dock this week having previously admitted a series of domestically-aggravated offending against four exes over a three-and-a-half year period between September 2017 and March 2021 at locations in Perth, Cupar and Blairgowrie.
Two of his victims were forced to drop out of college as a result of his behaviour, the court heard.
No alternative to custody
Sheriff Gillian Wade told him: “This catalogue of offending is predominantly directed against vulnerable young women.
“Your behaviour is perpetual and repeated and you showed no remorse for a very long period of time.
“Despite repeated convictions for this type of crime, you continued to offend against every intimate partner which you had.
“Your behaviour is vile. Spitting mucus in the face of your partner is a considerable concern.”
The sheriff said: “This is simply bullying behaviour which is cowardly and unpleasant.
“All of your offences are excessively violent and show that you are someone who is a risk to women.
“On that basis, there is absolutely no alternative to a custodial sentence.”
Stewart was jailed for 30 months.
Once released, he will be supervised for another year.
Referring to contentious new sentencing guidelines that suggest rehabilitation rather than prison time for under 25s, the sheriff added: “These sentences are significantly less than I would have imposed if you were a man who had reached the age of over 26.”
Stewart was ordered to stay away from each victim for five years.
Offending was ‘normalised’
Stewart may have “normalised” his offending as a result of his upbringing, the court heard.
His father was convicted for domestically-aggravated offence last year.
Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, said: “Hopefully, Mr Stewart will eventually mature and realise that there are other ways to live your life.
“There doesn’t seem to be any sexual manipulation here, just horrible and nasty behaviour.”
Stewart pled guilty to two charges of engaging in an abusive course of behaviour, two counts of assault and two charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, likely to cause fear or alarm.
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