A violent domestic abuser poured Southern Comfort into his partner’s eyes and tried to strangle her.
Anthony Bains subjected the woman to five months of abuse during their brief relationship.
The 34-year-old even sought to blame his victim for his behaviour, telling her: “What do you expect when you give me attitude?”
As well as pouring alcohol into her eyes and choking her, Bains also threw an iron at the woman and shut her in a bedroom.
Fiscal depute Ruaridh McAlister told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the couple had been together for around eight months and resided together until separating on September 25 2019.
At the beginning of May 2019, during an argument about a taxi, Bains picked up an iron and threw it at his partner. Fortunately, due to it still being plugged in, it did not reach her.
‘Refused to let her out’
On June 16, after returning from visiting family in Birmingham, Bains “immediately started accusing her of having someone in the house” and another row broke out.
Mr McAlister said: “The accused then started ‘kicking off’ and kicked a hole in the hallway door.”
The argument continued and Bains grabbed a bottle of Southern Comfort which he had been drinking from the kitchen.
Mr McAlister said: “He then poured the Southern Comfort into the complainer’s eyes which was extremely painful.
“The complainer was extremely distressed, her hair and face were wet, and her eyes were red and bloodshot.”
A further argument between the pair occurred around September 18 2019.
Bains’ behaviour “escalated” and he became aggressive, leaving his partner “highly distressed” and beginning to have a panic attack.
Bains applied ‘considerable pressure’
When she decided to get some fresh air she went to grab her jacket from the bedroom and Bains “shut her in and refused to let her out”.
She repeatedly attempted to get out of the room but was stopped by Bains every time until he eventually went to the living room and fell asleep on the sofa.
At 3pm on September 20, yet another row broke out as the couple discussed Bains moving out.
Mr McAlister told the court: “The complainer was on the sofa and the accused grabbed her by the throat and started strangling her.
“He did this using both of his hands, applying considerable pressure.
“The complainer started to feel lightheaded before the accused let go of her throat.”
Bains then crowed: “What do you expect when you give me attitude?”
On September 25 there was another row when Bains turned up and began shouting and swearing about getting his stuff from the property.
‘He felt he should have taken care of her and failed to do so’
During this, he twice picked up food and threw it into her face before kicking her front door, leaving it cracked.
The woman later told her family about the incidents and the matters were reported to the police.
Bains, of Buchanness Drive, Boddam, pled guilty to engaging in a course of behaviour which was abusive of his partner between May 1 and September 25 2019.
The offences happened at an address in Peterhead.
Defence agent Stuart Flowerdew said the couple’s relationship had initially been a positive one but that a number of situations in the woman’s life had affected them.
The solicitor said: “He felt he should have taken care of her and failed to do so.
“There’s a very complicated background involving the relationship they had not only with themselves but with the outside world.
“He accepts that he failed her during that period of time and he regrets that.”
Sheriff Graham Buchanan, as a direct alternative to prison, handed Bains 180 hours of unpaid work and an 18-month supervision order.
He also imposed a five-year non-harassment order.
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