A sheriff has warned a weeping woman to leave her violent partner as he jailed him for carrying out his ninth domestic offence against her in two years.
Andrena Terris broke down in tears at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday as her fiance David Laird was led away in handcuffs to start six months behind bars.
And despite the “catalogue” of violent offending which has been committed against her since 2012 the court heard she remained adamant that she was standing by her man and was already planning their wedding.
As the repeat offender was being taken from the dock Sheriff Kenneth Stewart spoke out to a distraught Ms Terris and said: “If you are the partner of this man I think you should seriously consider never going back to him.”
Laird, 47, was locked up yesterday for sending his partner a string of text messages telling her how he hoped she would die.
He also admitted assaulting her on October 10 this year at 47 Market Stance in Aberdeen by striking her on the face to her injury.
It had been alleged that Laird, of 101 Craigievar Crescent, Aberdeen, had committed another assault against Ms Terris on September 21.
On this occasion he was alleged to have punched her on the body before seizing hold of her face, uttering threats of violence, struggling with her repeatedly, seizing her by the throat and strangling her by restricting her breathing.
However his not guilty plea to this charge was accepted by the Crown.
Yesterday his solicitor, David Sutherland, told the sheriff that there had been a large gap in his criminal record of more than 25 years.
He said during this time he was married and living happily with his family.
However, the court heard that his wife died unexpectedly and he has since struggled to come to terms with her death.
As a result he had been taking his grief and guilt of moving on out on his new partner, he said.
Mr Sutherland added that his client was aware that this was not an acceptable way to behave and asked that the sheriff allow him to take part in a community payback order with a condition that he attends bereavement counselling.
However, Sheriff Stewart said that Laird had reached the end of the road in terms of the court being able to give him any more chances.
He said: “I do appreciate that you lost your wife in difficult circumstances. You are by no means alone but it should not follow that you therefore set about in a catalogue of offending against this woman over a period of two years.”
He was sentenced to a total of six months for the two offences.
Ms Terris refused to comment on leaving court yesterday.