A man who choked his pregnant girlfriend 20 times during a brutal assault has been remanded in custody to protect her from further assaults.
Craig Mitchell attacked Jodie McLeod – then 20 weeks pregnant with his child – in the living room of a flat in Dundee.
He choked her over and over again, Dundee Sheriff Court was told, leaving her gasping for air.
The court heard the attack lasted about 20 minutes before Ms McLeod managed to escape to the bathroom and call for help. When police arrived, they found Mitchell asleep on a mattress.
He denied any knowledge of the attack when officers woke him up.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told the court Mitchell had twice been convicted of domestic offences towards Ms McLeod as well as a further domestic conviction relating to another ex-partner.
Miss Robertson said he arrived at the house in the early hours of the morning and was under the influence of some substance, accusing Ms McLeod of being unfaithful to him.
She said: “He grabbed her face and squeezed it while shouting and accusing her. He dragged her by the hair then straddled her with his knees over her shoulders.
“He grabbed her by the throat and squeezed it, restricting her breathing. When struggling for breath, he would release her then grab her again.
“The accused also put his hand over her mouth. He did this around 20 times over 20 minutes or so.
“She lay limp with her head to one side before managing to make her way to the bathroom where she called a friend and whispered for her to call the police.”
Mitchell, 26, of Rosemount Road, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of assault to injury on May 10 this year at Lawton Terrace.
Solicitor Gary McIlravey said: “Despite the nature of the offence and the fact he has spent some time in custody the relationship has been ongoing.”
He applied for bail but Sheriff Alastair Carmichael remanded him in custody.
Mitchell said he wanted to help Ms McLeod prepare for the birth of their child.
Sheriff Carmichael deferred sentence until August 20, telling him: “Given what you have pleaded guilty to there’s no way I’m releasing you on bail into her company for her own safety.”
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