A DUNDEE man has been found guilty of attacking a pregnant woman — including punching her several times.
John David Hutton, 33, a prisoner at Perth, was found guilty of two charges during a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen.
The offences dated back to 2007.
The court heard that, on an occasion between February 15 2007 and February 16 2007, both dates inclusive, at an address in Dundee, he assaulted the woman, then pregnant, and repeatedly punched her on the head and body to her injury.
Hutton was also found guilty of, on various occasions between February 20 2007 and November 7 2007, both dates inclusive, at an address in Dundee, assaulting the same woman, punching and kicking her on the head and body, knocking her to the ground, and stamping on her body, all to her injury.
A third charge, where it was alleged that Hutton had attempted to murder the same woman, also in 2007, was not proven.
Hutton was found not guilty of a separate attempted murder charge against another woman, with the offence alleged to have happened in 2014 at an address in Dundee.
The jury returned a not proven verdict to a charge of detaining that woman against her will and assaulting her, in 2014.
Hutton was also found not guilty of a further assault charge, against that same woman, also alleged to have happened in 2014.
Four other charges were withdrawn by the Crown when the trial started on February 17.
Following the verdicts, Lord Turnbull set a date of March 18 for Hutton to return to the High Court in Edinburgh.
He was remanded in custody meantime.
Marsha Scott, chief executive of Scottish Women’s Aid, welcomed the fact that prosecutors had treated such incidents seriously.
She said the organisation didn’t comment on specific cases but admitted that offences against pregnant women were not uncommon.
She added: “Scottish Women’s Aid does see, and help, women who have suffered from abuse, many of whom were pregnant when the offences occurred.
“To see a case sitting in the High Court highlights the seriousness with which the Crown takes abuse cases.”
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