Man admits shaking wife ‘like rag doll’ during nearly year long period of abuse

A north-east man has admitted subjecting his wife to nearly a year of abuse in which he spat at her and shook her “like a rag doll”.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Stuart Wyness, 65, carried out both verbal and physical abuse against his wife – often leaving her “terrified” within their home.

Wyness, an electrician, called the woman “ignorant”, “glaikit” and a “useless lump” while also grabbing her by the neck and throwing household items at her between July 2019 and May 2020.

The court also heard that during one argument he threw a knife at her feet.

The 65-year-old pleaded guilty to engaging in an abusive course of behaviour and of breaching a condition not to contact the woman.

Argument over sink led to accused shaking wife like ‘rag doll’

Fiscal Depute Ross Canning told the court how the Bucksburn man would often put his wife down as she did housework, which could escalate into violence.

“He told her that she was useless at everything”, Mr Canning said. “The accused said to her that her head was like sawdust and called her ignorant and glaikit.

“He grabbed her hand and pushed it towards her head and called her a useless lump who couldn’t do anything.”

Mr Canning said that during an argument over how his wife was cleaning the sink,  Wyness grabbed her and “shook her like a rag doll”.

The fiscal depute also recounted a night where the two had been drinking and Wyness took a comment from his wife to be sarcastic and spat in her face before swearing at her and calling her “lazy” and “useless” again.

‘I think the marriage is now irreparable’

Defence solicitor Bruce MacDonald said Wyness and his wife had lived a “happy marriage for many years” until things turned sour.

He said: “This woman was not a shrinking violent by any means, but I think Mr Wyness has taken stock of matters and was very concerned by this because it’s his first time in court.

“I think the marriage is now irreparable and he has come around to accepting that these events took place.”

Sheriff Valerie Johnston sentenced Wyness, of River Don Crescent, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, to a community payback order requirement of 150 hours unpaid work and a non-harassment order lasting 15 months.