Domestic abuser told to expect ‘a significant custodial sentence’

A domestic abuser who carried out a catalogue of attacks on two women over 14 years including smashing one’s head off a bath is facing time behind bars.

James Gray, 39, of Wood Mill Farm Cottage, Auchtermuchty, initially denied a total of 11 charges, forcing his victims to tell of their ordeal in the witness box, but eventually pled guilty to seven five of assault, one of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner and one of breaching bail after two days of evidence.

Gray attacked Diane Willsden repeatedly at addresses in Perthshire and in north-east Fife between January 2001 and December 2010 before moving on to another victim, Jane Allan.

In one assault at a cottage in Killiecrankie, Gray threw a coaster at her, pulled her hair and slapped her face before twisting her arm up her back.

He then forced a door open and pushed her into a bath, strangled her, repeatedly smashed her head off the bath, threatened to kill her and repeatedly kicked her arm.

The court was told she broke her arm in two places as a result of the attack.

Sheriff Lorna Drummond deferred sentence and released Gray on bail. She said: “This merits a significant custodial sentence.”