A Dundee teenager battered his partner in front of terrified children during months of “despicable” abuse.
Thomas Mullen forced his way into the woman’s home and bit a man’s ear, leaving him permanently disfigured, while he held an infant.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how the woman feared for her life while being pinned down and repeatedly punched.
The 18-year-old was jailed after a sheriff ruled nothing could be done to help him in the community.
In addition to the domestic abuse, he had also admitted possessing a zombie knife, repeatedly chasing a rival and setting fire to a car.
Sheriff Paul Ralph told him: “You can’t keep going this way.
“You have run out of road. There are times the court just has to say ‘enough is enough’.”
Fear for life
On January 3 this year, Mullen was allowed entry to the woman’s home in Dundee and a row broke out.
Fiscal depute Alan Bell said: “The accused rushed towards her, knocked her on a sofa, pinned her down and started repeatedly punching her on the head with both hands.
“She believes she was punched five times with significant force.
“She was in genuine fear of her life.
“He took possession of her iPhone 14 and damaged a television, causing it to break.”
Mullen made holes in doors and a child ran to a neighbour’s house and pleaded with her to call 999.
The woman was found in the living room “sobbing extensively”.
Return attack
Mullen returned later that day to cause further terror.
He kicked a door off its hinges, barged past the woman and punched a man who was holding a one-year-old.
Mullen bit the man’s ear and repeatedly threw punches in front of a “hysterical” child.
The thug fled and his victim had to receive a tetanus shot and have his ear lobe glued.
The court also heard how Mullen spat in his partner’s face in the middle of Lochee’s Home Bargains on an occasion.
Mullen, of Watson Street, pled guilty to committing violent domestic abuse against the woman between September 3 2024 and January 3 this year and on the latter date, assaulting the male, causing permanent disfigurement.
He was on six bail orders from different courts at the time.
Further crimes
Mullen also admitted separate charges of striking a 17-year-old with a piece of wood to his injury on February 9 2024 on Buttars Road, having pursued and threatened to stab him on January 11 that year in the Fintry area.
On April 19 2024, he was caught with a zombie knife on Fintry Road.
Mullen, who appeared for sentencing via video link from HMYOI Polmont, set fire to a car and damaged it on Pitkerro Road on December 11 2023.
Solicitor Doug McConnell said his client is expecting a child with the woman and described their relationship as “volatile”.
He referenced concerns from Mullen’s family about his mental health and he missed a long-awaited community mental health appointment because he had been remanded in custody.
He said: “He is still only 18 and there’s still a chance for Mr Mullen.
“His family are still very supportive and they are trying to assist him in every area.”
Mullen was sentenced to a total of 16 months detention and made subject to an 18-month non-harassment order.
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