A man seen assaulting his girlfriend by “dragging” her to and fro by the arms told police he was “disco dancing” with her.
A concerned neighbour called the police after witnessing Jamie Laws drunkenly pulling his girlfriend around their Aberdeen Airbnb while she repeatedly shouted for help.
The 27-year-old had been on a city break north from Carnoustie with his partner of nine years and another couple when “things got out of hand”, his solicitor told Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
Fiscal depute Emma Petersen said the neighbour at the Charlotte Street rental overheard the commotion at around 3pm on September 17 last year.
‘There was back and forth dragging’
“He was watching it from his living room window,” she said. “He heard shouting, which became progressively worse.
“He looked out and saw both of them in the bedroom. Then he saw the accused seize the complainer by the arms and drag her from the bedroom to the living room.
“He continued to shout and swear at her about a message she had received on her phone.
“There was back and forth dragging by her arms between the two rooms.
“As he continued to shout and swear the neighbour heard the complainer screaming for help and saying sorry to the accused.
“The last thing the neighbour observed was the accused climbing out of the living room window out onto the roof.”
‘We had a disco dance’
When police attended at the serviced apartment Laws told them they’d had a row and once under caution, he replied: “Aye, we had a disco dance together”.
Laws admitted a charge of domestic assault and another of breach of the peace.
The self-employed joiner’s defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt said the incident stemmed from over-consumption of alcohol.
“They had come together with another couple to Aberdeen for the weekend to celebrate Mr Laws’ birthday,” the solicitor said.
“They had gone out and he went out with just the other couple, leaving the complainer in the Airbnb they had rented.
“He recalls drinking far too much alcohol that afternoon with the other couple.
“When he returned, the complainer let on she was displeased with his level of intoxication.
“He decided he wanted to phone his parents to see if they would collect him. He says the complainer was refusing to allow him access to his phone to do so and it was on the back of that that he committed these offences.”
Drank too much for birthday
He added that Laws was trying to get his phone but accepted he grabbed her by the arms before “coming to his senses and removing himself from the situation” by exiting via the balcony.
Sheriff Lesley Johnston told Laws she believed this was an “isolated incident”.
She added: “You have accepted full responsibility for this incident which stemmed from your intoxication.
“It was really an argument that got out of control and you have expressed genuine remorse for your actions.”
She handed Laws, of Lochend Road, Dundee, 90 hours of unpaid work.
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