A man who head-butted his girlfriend and forgot about it only learned of his horrifying assault when she posted pictures of her injuries on social media.
Michael Hannah, 39, appeared in the dock and admitted violently attacking his partner on Union Grove, Aberdeen, following a drunken argument on July 10 this year.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Hannah handed himself in to police after discovering his then-partner had published pictures on social media.
In court Hannah pleaded guilty to one charge of assault, pursing the woman, striking her on the body and head-butting her to her injury.
Fiscal depute Rebecca Thompson told the court that an argument had broken out between the pair after a night drinking at Hannah’s felt and resulted in the woman walking out.
Hannah followed and then “chased her around the street” before striking her on the throat with the back of his fist.
Ambulance to victim to hospital
Ms Thompson said: “He then pulled his hood over his face and head-butted the complainer, causing her to fall to the ground.
“This was all seen by a witness who was looking out of her window.
“Thereafter the accused ran away from the locus towards Albyn Grove.”
The fiscal depute described the woman as being left with “obvious facial injuries” and had “bleeding from the nose and mouth”.
She was taken by ambulance to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
It was stated that Hannah had no memory of the incident the following morning but checked social media and saw pictures the woman had posted of her injuries.
The 39-year-old then handed himself into his local police station where he was cautioned and arrested.
‘Lengthy history of violence’
Defence agent John Hardie described the relationship between Hannah and the woman as one that was “characterised by violence in both directions”.
He added: “That is no justification, but it gives context to the type of situation we’re talking about.”
He also confirmed that his client handed himself in to police after he had “become aware through social media that he had committed the offence and it demonstrated what he had done”.
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told Hannah, of Albyn Lane, Aberdeen, that he had a “lengthy history of offending and violence” in his record.
She sentenced him to a community payback order with 12 months of supervision and 160 hours of unpaid work.
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