A woman who refused to give evidence against her partner was warned by a sheriff there would be “serious consequences” if she did not tell his court what happened.
Lorna Watt, a 35-year-old mother of two, of 130 St Valery Avenue, Inverness, was called as the first witness in the trial of her 40-year-old live-in partner, Jamieson Kirkbright.
He denied a breach of the peace and assaulting her at her home on November 12 last year.
But when Ms Watt was questioned by fiscal depute Karen Smith about what happened that day, she replied: “No comment.”
At Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday, Sheriff David Sutherland immediately intervened and commented: “Pardon? You took an oath to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
Ms Watt replied: “I haven’t lied. I just said no comment.”
Sheriff Sutherland told her: “There will be serious consequences if you don’t tell what happened.” He then instructed that she talk to the duty solicitor. The trial was adjourned and two police officers escorted her from the courtroom.
A short time later, she returned and gave her evidence in full.
Ms Watt told the court that she and her partner had an argument because he had been drinking.
“I asked him to leave and when I went to pack his stuff, the argument continued. There were nasty comments by both of us. He refused to leave and I slapped him. He hit me back.
“I called the police because I wanted them to make him leave.”
After her evidence, defence solicitor Willie Young asked for a second brief adjournment, and when he returned he confirmed his client would plead guilty to behaving in a threatening manner, shouting and refusing to leave the premises.
A not guilty plea to the assault charge was accepted.
Sentence was deferred until September 18 for a background report.
