An abusive Fife boyfriend told one of his victims he was “boiling the kettle for her” before putting sugar in the water and shouting: “This is what happens when you leave”.
Darren Taylor inferred he would pour the contents of the kettle over the woman after she told him she wanted to end their relationship.
Known as ‘prison Napalm‘ because of inmates’ use of it as a weapon, the solution is known to burn deeper than boiling water alone.
On another occasion during the year-long campaign of abuse he choked her by grabbing her neck and lifting her off the ground.
Taylor targeted another ex-partner over a period spanning 21 months and on one occasion threw a glass bottle at her, causing injury.
In both cases he assaulted the women and accused them of cheating, Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard.
Hour-long kettle ordeal
The 26-year-old, an inmate in Perth Prison, appeared from custody to plead guilty to five offences.
Between February 2020 and February 2021 at addresses in Dunfermline and Rosyth, he engaged in a course of abusive behaviour against one of his victims.
Prosecutor Lee-Anne Barclay said Taylor got angry when his partner indicated she wanted to end their relationship, early in the course of abuse.
The fiscal depute said: “He shouted at her that he was boiling the kettle for her and she saw him pour sugar into the kettle, inferring he would pour the contents over her.
“He shouted ‘that’s what happens if you leave’.”
The fiscal said the incident went on for an hour, during which he had her phone and bank card.
Ms Barclay continued: “He then dragged her by the hair and pulled her out of his address, before returning her bank card and phone, both of which had been broken.”
Dragged, punched and choked
The relationship continued following apologies from Taylor but he quickly turned to violence again.
Ms Barclay added the woman was at Taylor’s home and he dragged her down a flight of stairs and out of the property during an argument.
When she later returned for her belongings, Taylor claimed she had been cheating on him and punched her on the head.
The court heard her mental health deteriorated as the relationship went on.
Around September 2020 she made a critical comment to Taylor and he responded by dragging her while screaming in her face and she told him to ‘man up’.
The fiscal said: “He grabbed her by the neck and picked her up off her feet, causing her to choke.
“She managed to punch him and he loosened his grip.”
Psychological abuse
The court heard that prior to Christmas 2020, Taylor admitted stealing money from the woman and when she went to a property in Dunfermline to get it from him he punched her on the head.
On Christmas Day she drove him to Culross to visit a friend’s grave and on the way she pulled over and he ran off saying he was going to kill himself and “sleep with his friend in his grave”.
On another occasion in January 2021 he told her to kill herself.
He continued his abusive behaviour and his victim described it as him “making her life hell”.
Taylor caused damage at her home by punching and kicking doors and walls, smashing her phones and pouring paint on the floor.
Ms Barclay added: “Throughout the relationship, the accused would persistently accuse (the woman) of cheating, and would make her prove where she was and who she was with during Facetime calls”.
Assaulted second woman
Taylor also pled guilty to three assaults against a second woman and a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards her on various occasions.
The offending spanned from March 2018 to November 2019 at addresses in Rosyth, Kirkcaldy, and Dunfermline.
In June 2018 the woman came home from work to find Taylor with friends, smoking and drinking alcohol, and he asked her why she was looking at another male in the flat before calling her a “rat”.
The fiscal depute said: “He then threw a glass bottle towards her, striking her on the leg.
“(The woman) suffered bruising from this”.
Sentence deferred
In June 2018, he began throwing her clothing out of a window on to the street following an argument.
A friend of the woman’s recalled numerous times in 2019 when Taylor phoned and told the woman she “better not be seeing other guys” otherwise he would “do her in” or get people to “go through her door”.
On other occasions he punched through a bedroom door, threw a cup of boiling water at the wall, and flipped over a coffee table.
In March 2018 Taylor grabbed the woman by the hair and pushed her down and in another instance grabbed her by the arm and pushed her out of a flat.
Ms Barclay said Taylor has a record of previous convictions.
Sheriff Susan Duff adjourned sentencing until March 18 to obtain background reports and remanded him in custody meantime.
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