A Forfar man who threatened to torture his partner and hurt their unborn child has narrowly escaped a jail sentence.
Lee Tough was told by a sheriff he was “23 going on 14” for the June incident in which he terrified his six-months pregnant girlfriend and then lashed out at police after being detained for the offence.
At the town’s sheriff court on Thursday, Tough was placed on a structured deferred sentence until November with a warning that he will go behind bars if he fails to engage with social workers to address his issues.
The 23-year-old, of Glenmoy Terrace, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening manner towards his girlfriend at a flat in the town’s Restenneth Drive on June 12 and threatening her unborn child, resisting arrest at police headquarters in West Bell Street, Dundee, and repeatedly shouting, swearing and making abusive remarks there.
The court heard the flare-up happened after the victim had returned home from visiting a friend.
Depute fiscal Nicola Gillespie said Tough was on the phone and smoking cannabis as she began to change her clothes.
“She could tell that he was in a bad mood and she left him upstairs,” said the fiscal.
Tough began calling his partner names and accused her of being flirtatious with other men, which she denied.
“He said he didn’t trust her, and she said that if that was the case he should leave, which she then realised would infuriate him,” the court was told.
Tough told his partner “I’ll leave you for dead. If I don’t get to see the baby you won’t get to” before threatening to torture her.
The accused also told her “Sit down or I’ll hurt you. I’m going to kill you, I’m going to break your neck.”
A neighbour heard the victim shouting and screaming and when the young woman tried to leave the property Tough stopped her.
She eventually managed to get out into the common close and police arrived shortly after.
Tough went to Forfar Police Station after the incident and admitted being involved in an argument, but said his girlfriend “was giving as good as she got”.
The depute fiscal said that after the accused was taken to Dundee police HQ he became angry and abusive, refused to leave his cell to be taken to the charge bar and had to be brought under control with arm locks and rigid handcuffs.
Defence agent Bob Bruce told the court the accused is working with a joiner and living with his father, but realised he was “on a precipice”.
He said Tough’s partner is due to give birth in just a few weeks, and had written a letter indicating that she wanted him to be at her side for the baby’s arrival.
Sheriff Ian Anderson noted comments in the social work report which said that Tough exploits vulnerable women. Tough will return to court on November 14.