A jealous jilted lover subjected his ex to a barrage of abusive and controlling behaviour, and threatened to break her and her new partner’s legs.
Paul Knowles, 30, became upset he wasn’t getting enough “attention” from his partner while her mother was unwell in hospital.
And when her mother passed away, she dumped him, but continued to receive constant calls and texts demanding to know where she was, who she was with and what she was doing.
If she didn’t answer, Knowles would turn up at her address and kick and bang on the door. At one point he had to be escorted away by police.
Knowles bragged that he had people following the woman, and tried to force her to text her new partner and break up with him, threatening to break both of their legs if they continued to see each other.
Crown narrative
Fiscal depute Sean Ambrose told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “The accused would usually contact her asking where she was, what she was doing, who she was with. He would often video call her. She believed it was because he wanted to see if she was with anybody.
“This was the case regardless of whether or not they were in a relationship.
“She told the accused that the contact was unwanted and he was to desist from this. She was worried that if she didn’t answer, he would attend at the address.
“In July 2019 the complainer suffered a bereavement, her mother passed away. Since this, she told the accused she needed her space and he was to leave her alone.
“While her mother was in hospital, prior to her death, the accused would drink a lot and become upset with the complainer because she was not giving him enough attention and due to the fact she was spending time with her mother.”
Following the bereavement, the woman ended the relationship with Knowles.
Mr Ambrose said: “The complainer was very clear with the accused this was the end of their relationship.
“Since this time, the accused has continually contacted the complainer by phone and text and when she doesn’t answer, he attends at her address.”
On multiple occasions, he banged and kicked on her door.
At one point police were called and had to escort him away from the address.
Mr Ambrose said: “During arguments, the accused would often block doorways in the room they were in so the complainer could not leave.
Describing one incident in November 2019, Mr Ambrose said: “The accused asked the complainer for her phone, and when she refused his demeanour seemed to change, telling her that he could see all her messages, who she was speaking to, and that he had people following her.
“The accused was aware that the complainer had been speaking to a male and this is something that he had become fixated on.
“The accused asked the complainer to text the male in front of him and to tell him that she wanted nothing more to do with him, however, the complainer refused this request.
“In response to this, the accused said he would break the male’s legs and hers if they kept seeing one another.
“The accused repeatedly asked the complainer why she was doing this to him, why she was manipulating him, making out that everything was her fault.
“The complainer told the accused he couldn’t keep her hostage. He said she was free to go, but followed this by saying police couldn’t protect her 24 hours a day.”
The charge
Knowles pled guilty to engaging in a course of behaviour that was abusive of his partner or ex-partner, by directing behaviour towards her with the purpose of controlling, regulating and monitoring her day-to-day activities, frightening, degrading, humiliating and punishing her.
The charge states specifically that Knowles:
- Repeatedly and excessively phoned, video-called and texted her, and continued to do so after having been asked to stop.
- Repeatedly demanded information regarding her whereabouts and who she was with.
- Repeatedly shouted, swore and acting in an aggressive manner.
- Repeatedly attended at her address uninvited, demanded entry and kicked and struck the door.
- Made threats to kill towards any partner of hers.
- Repeatedly prevented her from leaving by locking doors and blocking doorways.
The offence was committed between April 1 2019 and November 11 2019 at various addresses in Aberdeen.
Mitigation
Defence agent Liam Mcallister said: “Clearly a difficult narrative for Mr Knowles and everyone else in the court to listen to.
“In 2019, things were as low as they’d ever been for Mr Knowles and his partner.
“The complainer indicated that she was often the instigator of these arguments.
“It was a toxic relationship by the end.
“Both her and the accused had very bad mental health.
“The complainer struggled with the bereavement of her mother and the accused’s drinking.
“He was not taking anti-psychotic medication.
“Both parties are very much aware the relationship is long over.
“Mr Knowles lost his job and lost his career, all through his alcoholism. He has been sober for a long time now and is stable in terms of his medication.
“He is disgusted by his behaviour. He was drinking a litre of vodka a day and not taking anti-psychotic medication.”
Summing up, Mr Mcallister said: “The relationship came to an end and he failed to cope. Positive steps have been taken to ensure this is never repeated.”
Sentence
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told Knowles, of Simpson Road, Bridge of Don: “I note it was your first and only domestic offence and you have demonstrated considerable remorse.”
She ordered him to be supervised for two years.
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