A man has been jailed after subjecting his partner to a “vicious and unprovoked” assault claiming she made him look “stupid” by leaving him alone at a Hogmanay party.
Reuben Davis attacked his then-girlfriend, Sara O’Driscoll, at the home they shared together on Ritchie Place in Aberdeen after returning home from their celebrations.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard on Monday that the 39-year-old left Ms O’Driscoll with a fracture below her left eye socket, two black eyes and “various” bruises all over her body during the assault.
The terrified mother fled to her grandmother’s house, and was later taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for treatment.
Davis had been in a relationship with a Ms O’Driscoll for around a year at this point, and had lived with her for three months.
Ms O’Driscoll left a party on December 31, 2013 just after midnight, and was awoken by David at 6.30am on January 1 who, according to fiscal depute Alison Reid, proceeded to tell her she had “made him look stupid” by leaving the party early.
The 39-year-old went on to punch her “multiple times in the face” before chasing the woman to her bedroom where he continued to physically attack her.
His lawyer stated during the court appearance on Monday that Davis had drunk a “significant amount” and had a “patchy recollection” of what had taken place.
He added: “He is thoroughly ashamed for what he has done.”
Sheriff Jack Brown was presented with a handwritten letter from Davis to his former partner, apologising for his actions.
The court also heard that Davis, who is originally from Birmingham, had previously failed to appear in court in September 2014 and a warrant had been issued for his arrest.
He was eventually detained on October 31 of this year.
Davis was released on bail under the condition not to contact Ms O’Driscoll, but later tried to contact her through one of her friends.
His lawyer claimed this was because Davis was “released from jail in effectively jeans and a t-shirt” and had no other belongings, except at her house.
The third party who witnessed Davis speak to Ms O’Driscoll on her phone, stated she was “freaked out” by the interaction and “alarmed by the contact”, before calling the police.
After acknowledging the guilty pleas to both the assault and breach of bail, Sheriff Jack Brown sentenced the 39-year-old to 20 months in prison.
He described Davis’s assault on his former partner as “unprovoked, vicious and sustained” and said there was “no alternative” to a custodial sentence.
