A Dundee teenager who assaulted his girlfriend was told by a sheriff it was “ridiculous” he was not charged with attempted murder.
Liam Gorrie grabbed fiancee Johanna Low in a headlock and squeezed until she lost consciousness before kicking and punching her, leaving her with soft tissue damage and two fractured teeth.
Gorrie, 19, of Rosefield Street, was sentenced to almost 16 months’ detention after pleading guilty to attacking Miss Low last month.
He previously admitted obstructing or hindering two police officers in the execution of their duty following the incident at Rosefield Street on September 10.
The court previously heard Miss Low was in bed when the accused began to call her name and shout at her for no reason. Miss Low had awoken after being rendered unconscious to find her boyfriend punching her in the face.
Gorrie was remanded in custody after shouting and swearing at his solicitor and Sheriff Richard Davidson in court the last time he appeared.
On Thursday he apologised to Sheriff Davidson at Dundee Sheriff Court when he was set to be sentenced.
Gorrie was allowed to speak directly to the sheriff and said: “I know you don’t want an apology but I am sorry about the way I behaved last time in the court.”
Sheriff Davidson said: “The difficulty for me is the charge should be one of attempted murder and I think it’s ridiculous that it isn’t. To place someone in a headlock and choke them to the point where they lose consciousness means they are seconds away from dying.
“This should have been a High Court case.”
Gorrie was also being sentenced on two other complaints including failure to appear at court on July 2 last year.
He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm by shouting, swearing and behaving in an aggressive manner with members of staff at the Lily Walker Centre on February 10 last year.