A Dundee man whose attack on his former girlfriend left her with cracked ribs, a burst ear drum and a footprint embedded in her face has been put behind bars for 24 months.
Victim Joanna Harrison, 19, said she had feared for her life when Reece Smith, 22, c/o Perth Prison, carried out the assault on her, claiming he “didn’t have a care in the world”.
Smith, whose solicitor Ian Houston said his client had “serious” anger management problems, had previously been found guilty after trial of assaulting her on March 6 at Charleston Drive, Dundee.
He poured a bottle of wine over her, seized her by the hair and pulled her to the floor, repeatedly slapping, punching and kicking her on the head and body.
He was also convicted of repeatedly standing on her, knocking her unconscious and throwing a glass at her which struck her on the body.
Miss Harrison said Smith had been drinking prior to the assault but started to argue “just for the sake of it”.
“I told him to get up the stairs and leave me alone, but he grabbed me by the hair and pulled me to the ground,” she said following the court case.
“He had his full weight on my neck and was punching me in the face and kicking me.”
During the trial, the court heard how Miss Harrison dialled 999 and pleaded for help.
When police arrived they had to batter down the door because she was too frightened to answer it.
Miss Harrison was then taken to Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, where she was treated for severe swelling to her head, bruises all over her body, cracked ribs, a burst ear drum and a footprint embedded in her face. She later said she’s lost “a lot of confidence” and has nightmares about the harrowing event.
“Reece could have killed me he didn’t have a care in the world,” she said.
“My daughter could have been left without a mum.
“It was a hard process coming to court. Reece has no remorse.”
At Perth Sheriff Court on Wednesday, Mr Houston said his client had “serious” anger management problems which had surfaced when he discovered he was not the father of Miss Harrison’s child.
“My client had counselling for anger management seven to eight years ago but it failed to do him much good,” Mr Houston said.
“I can’t excuse his behaviour but my client felt deceived when he found out through DNA tests that he had not fathered this child.”
Sentencing Smith, Sheriff William Wood told him: “Nothing, absolutely nothing, can excuse this sort of behaviour. No one who heard the 999 call being played in court could fail to be moved by the terror which was shown by your victim.”