A 42-year-old Fife woman phoned friends to tell them “I’ve done it again” after assaulting her husband during a campaign of domestic abuse spanning more than two years.
Roxanne Brown’s then-partner was found by friends unconscious on the floor on one occasion and “curled up in the foetal position” on the sofa on another.
Brown appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to engaging in a course of abusive behaviour between January 1 2021 and May 14 last year at an address in Dunfermline.
Husband found unconscious
Prosecutor Azrah Yousaf told the court Brown, of Broad Street, Cowdenbeath, and her former husband had been together for six years and married in 2018.
The fiscal depute told the court that during the first two incidents, which happened over a year apart, Brown “slapped” her husband on the face following arguments and accusations she was cheating on him
In October 2022, friends received a phone call from her to say: “I have done it again”.
The fiscal depute continued: “They attended at the address.
“The complainer was seen to be lying on the floor unconscious.
“He is described as having lumps to his head.
“They tried to rouse him and it took about five minutes for him to become awake.”
The fiscal said: “The complainer cannot remember much about the incident but remembers having an argument with the accused and that it started by slapping his face.
“It appears to have escalated as he had repeated punching to his face, causing cuts and bruises.
“He cannot remember much else about it but does recall a friend being there and spending the night there.”
The fiscal said the man went to work a short time later with cuts and bruises to his head and face.
“According to work colleagues, he usually attended in that state and would make excuses for what had happened”.
More assaults
Around February 2023 the friend who had attended previously received another phone call from Brown, stating “I have done it again” and saying she had assaulted her husband.
The fiscal continued: “They attended at the home address.
“The complainer was seen to be on a sofa, curled up in the foetal position and quite drowsy”.
He had a bleeding nose and cuts to his face.
The friend took him in a taxi to a safe place to spend the night.
He attended work again with the fresh injuries.
Ms Yousaf said the most recent incident was in May last year when there was an argument, again about the complainer thinking Brown has been unfaithful.
She repeatedly slapped him to the face.
“Following that incident he had become quite detached from his work and quite vacant.
“He did appear to get very upset and described everything to his friend”.
Police were contacted and Brown was charged.
Sentencing
Defence lawyer Andrew Docherty confirmed the relationship is over.
He said since the offending Brown has spent time proactively in the community and since July this year, has engaged with a local charity organisation and is volunteering with Salvation Army.
The solicitor said his first offender client, currently unemployed, has anxiety and depression and struggles with alcohol, which he described as the catalyst for her offending.
Sheriff Susan Duff imposed 225 hours of unpaid work and banned her from contacting her ex-husband for two years, as an alternative to a custodial sentence.
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