A Fife driver repeatedly seized a woman’s throat and struck her head off the bonnet of a car after crashing at a roundabout.
Aaron Gover, 25, appeared for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to the domestically-aggravated assault and driving with excess alcohol (30mics/22) in his system at Queensferry Road, Dunfermline, on August 18 this year.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard Gover and the woman, who had only been together a couple of weeks before the incident, were drinking in the city centre, then went to his home around midnight.
Prosecutor Azrah Yousaf said Gover was under the influence and became aggressive and shouted at the woman, who tried to talk to him.
He took her phone while shouting and swearing, before leaving in a car with her.
Post-crash assault
The fiscal said the car “made contact” with a roundabout in Dunfermline, causing two punctured tyres.
A taxi and an ambulance stopped to offer help but Gover persuaded them to go on, the court heard.
The fiscal said the terrifying assault followed.
“He pushed her to the ground, placed his arm round her neck with the back of his elbow, pushing into her throat.
“She indicated she was struggling to breathe.”
She escaped his grasp but the fiscal continued: “He then grabbed her by the hair and hit her head off the bonnet multiple times and she was begging him to stop”.
He continued to put his arms round her throat and choke her but she was able to kick him off before running to a taxi, the fiscal added.
The vehicle was traced by police and Gover, who was nearby, said “that’s my car” and “I have been driving and f***ed it”.
Sentencing
Gover, of Sherbrooke Road, Rosyth, was then taken into custody.
The fiscal depute said no physical injuries were libelled but acknowledged there would be psychological harm to the woman.
Ms Yousaf said the woman indicated at the time she wanted protection from Gover.
Defence lawyer Aime Allan said her client has taken steps to get support after what appears to be an out-of-character offence – the first time he has come to the attention of the authorities.
Sheriff Alan Findlay noted Gover said: “No doubt you have inflicted psychological injury on (the woman) whom you barely knew”.
Sheriff Findlay ordered Gover to pay £500 compensation to his victim and fined him £400 and banned him from driving for a year.
The sheriff said he would not impose a non-harassment order, given the brief nature of the relationship.
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