A domestic abuser spent Christmas Day behind bars after slapping and kicking his partner.
Kenneth McLaren assaulted the woman and left her lying on the floor of their Lossiemouth home on Christmas Eve last year, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Shay Treanor said the woman had called her friend to report the abuse.
“She realised the complainer was distressed and she stated that the accused had slapped her a couple of times,” he said.
‘She advised he had used his feet to stamp on her body’
“When the witness arrived at the address to check on her friend, the complainer told her the accused had stamped on her body, namely her side.
“Police were contacted and traced the complainer lying on the living room floor. She advised them this was because the accused had used his feet to stamp on her body.”
McLaren was found in an upstairs bedroom and taken to Elgin Police Station that evening.
In court, he admitted a charge of domestic assault.
His defence agent Matthew O’Neill said the couple had been together since 2014 and remained in a relationship.
Victim was also in wrong
He said: “He acknowledges his behaviour on Christmas Eve was appalling but his partner also appeared in court on the flip side of this and for her behaviour.
“She was sentenced to a community payback order two weeks ago in this court for her part in the incident that night.
“Alcohol plays a significant role in their lives and it’s when that’s involved that they both appear in court.”
The couple had been “consuming large amounts of alcohol in the run-up to the Christmas and New Year period,” the court heard.
“They were not able to deal with the situation appropriately,” Mr O’Neill added.
“Mr McLaren is aware he would be fortunate to receive a community payback order given his extensive record.”
‘You are on the very cusp’
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told McLaren: “You should be in no doubt that you are on the very cusp of going to jail for a very long time.
“It is only given all the circumstances and the information contained in background reports that I halt and don’t impose a custodial sentence today.”
He instead handed McLaren, of Halifax Avenue, Lossiemouth, 200 hours of unpaid work and an 18-month supervision order.
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