A Dundee sheriff has branded the Crown’s decision to proceed with a complaint against a Russian man accused of assaulting his partner as ”completely stupid.”
Sheriff Richard Davidson said he was ”at a total loss” as to why the Crown should entertain proceedings against Angus resident Valeris Polanskis (25), Goosecroft, Forfar, who denied through an interpreter that on September 29 at the Gallagher Retail Park in Dundee he assaulted the woman by repeatedly punching her on the head.
After depute fiscal Catriona Dickie said there was no opposition to bail, he asked if the Crown was seeking any special conditions. She said it was not and the sheriff then asked: ”What would be the point in investing public funds on a trial where the accused and the victim live in the same house?”
Ms Dickie told the court she would seek a special condition of bail that the accused does not approach his partner.
However, solicitor Michael Short said the couple had been together for 10 years and have a four-year-old child. He said they live together and the woman, who speaks no English, is dependent on his income of around £200 per week.
Mr Short said the woman had made no complaint to the police at the time and was making no complaint now.
The solicitor suggested his client simply be ordained to appear at the intermediate diet and trial, which the sheriff agreed to.
The intermediate diet was set for February 20 and trial for March 7.