A bodybuilder who waged a two-week reign of terror against his 17-year-old girlfriend has been jailed for six months.
Billy Paton’s paranoia towards his partner after they moved in together saw him check her mobile phone for messages and ban her from going on a family holiday, before an incident in their Brechin flat in which her screaming was so loud it wakened neighbours.
The catalogue of behaviour detailed to Forfar Sheriff Court yesterday was described as a very serious domestic incident by Sheriff Kevin Veal, who told the 27-year-old only custody would mark the offence’s severity.
Paton, described as a prisoner at Perth, admitted that on various occasions between September 7 and 22, at a flat in Bank Street, Brechin, he conducted himself in a disorderly manner, repeatedly punched the walls, shouted and swore at a woman there placing her and others inadjacent properties in fear and alarm for the complainer, and committed a breach of the peace.
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond told the court the victim and Paton had been involved in a relationship for a few months and set up home together in the Angus town.
After moving in together, Paton became paranoid that his girlfriend was seeing other men and began intercepting calls and messages on her mobile phone.
“The complainer also had a dog, which she adored, but she was forced to sell it by the accused after it urinated in the home,” she added. “The accused’s paranoia basically seemed to worsen.”
Miss Drummond said the teenager told her mum she was unable to go on a family holiday, and on the day of September 22 neighbours were wakened by Paton’s girlfriend screaming in the flat, and then heard the sound of what appeared to be her being dragged along the floor.TextOne neighbour sent a text to Paton asking him to keep the noise down and received a reply stating, “Keep out of my life, nothing to do with you.”
The court was told Paton had also warned his girlfriend, “You have to do what I say.”
Defence agent Bob Bruce said bodybuilding had been a “huge” part of the accused’s life and he had been involved in taking steroids.
He said Paton had been on remand for 83 days in connection with the matter and was also recalled by the parole board in December in relation to a prison term imposed south of the border, from which his earliest release date is now June 9.
“He has been advised that he will be required to attend anger management and domestic violence courses,” said the agent, adding that the victim had subsequently left messages on a networking site telling Paton “miss you, babe” and “love you forever.”
Sheriff Veal said, “I have looked at this carefully, particularly in light of the risk reports before the court and there is no question of a community disposal. The psychological assessment points towards a very negative attitude towards his partners.
“This is a domestic incident which, in my view, is far more serious than many which come to court. The accused is not a stranger to the courts and has a lengthy list of previous convictions.
“This offence lasted over a period of 15 days and is a very serious situation of a 27-year-old man who was involved in this behaviour against a girl who was barely 17 years of age.”