A woman resorted to sending 1p bank transfers to message her friend in secret to avoid getting into trouble with her controlling boyfriend.
Paul Reid subjected his long-suffering partner to terrifying violent attacks.
The 37-year-old restricted her interaction with others, forcing her to go to extreme lengths to keep in touch with loved ones.
On one occasion, Reid pushed the woman against a wall while she was pregnant and then choked her for 40 seconds while she gasped for breath.
He also broke her mobile phone and gave her a cheap replacement with only two contact numbers for him and his sister, to stop her from speaking to her friends.
‘She couldn’t breathe’
Fiscal depute Emma Petersen told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the pair had been in a relationship for around 14 years and had four children together.
In January 2015, while the woman was pregnant with the couple’s third child, Reid became violent during an argument.
Ms Petersen said: “The accused lunged at the complainer before pushing her hard against the wall using both his hands.
“He then seized hold of her face with his right hand and squeezed it, before grabbing her by the throat and squeezing it tight so that she couldn’t breathe.
“He held her in this way for approximately 40 seconds, which caused her to feel dizzy.”
Eventually, the woman managed to tell Reid that she couldn’t breathe and he let go.
She was left with back pain as a result of being pushed against the wall.
Reid ‘slapped her multiple times’
On another occasion in August 2018, the couple rowed again while unpacking their belongings after moving house.
Ms Petersen told the court Reid stood up from the sofa and “marched” towards his partner, pushing her to the floor and causing her to hit her hip.
The woman then got up and pushed passed Reid and ran upstairs as he followed.
When he caught up with her, Reid “slapped her multiple times on the head, causing her to fall back into the bathroom and into the bath”.
Ms Petersen said: “The accused then proceeded to repeatedly punch her to her face, body, chest, and breasts.
“He then put his hand on her neck and continued to hit her to the face numerous times.
“As a result, she sustained bruising to her right hip and bruising to the right side of her face.”
‘The complainer found it harder to keep in touch with friends and family’
On an occasion between April 2019 and May 9 2020, two of the victim’s friends visited her and noticed Reid’s demeanour “change frequently”.
Ms Petersen said: “He would be calm one moment and the next he would be shouting at her and kicking and punching walls and windows, sometimes causing damage.
“The accused was also unhappy with the complainer socialising with her two friends and, as time went on, the complainer found it harder to keep in touch with friends and family due to his behaviour.”
In January 2020, the relationship ended and Reid moved out. Later the same evening, he came back to pick up his belongings and an argument started.
He then left but returned a few hours later, appearing uninvited at the kitchen window, saying he “wanted to get back together”.
In February 2020, the woman’s friends went on holiday and, having not heard from her for a while, one of them began to call and text her.
The woman replied saying: “I’m back with Paul and he saved my life, we’re done”.
Towards the end of April 2020, Reid smashed his girlfriend’s mobile and replaced it with a £10 phone that had no internet access.
Ms Petersen said: “He programmed in only two contacts, himself and his sister, which prevented the complainer contacting her own friends and family.”
‘The accused called the phone 27 times’
At the start of May 2020, the woman sent her friend a 1p bank transfer referencing the Jess Glynne song Take Me Home.
The friend responded with a similar transfer, referencing another song to let her know she still wanted to communicate with her.
The pair swapped 1p bank transfers back and forth to communicate and make sure the woman was okay.
On May 6 2020, the woman told Reid she wanted to end the relationship and Reid began “shouting at her before begging to let him stay”.
Reid then left and the woman contacted her friend to let her know the relationship was over.
The friend came round and took the woman’s phone from her so Reid could no longer contact her.
Ms Petersen said: “In the following three days, the accused called the phone 27 times from his own number and there were a further 14 calls from an unknown number.
“Numerous text messages were also sent.”
On May 9 2020, Reid appeared at his ex’s kitchen window without warning, causing her fear and alarm.
The police were later contacted and told about all the incidents.
On being cautioned and charged, Reid said: “I don’t agree with it. It’s absolute c***”.
‘Nothing short of appalling’
Reid, of Invercauld Road, Mastrick, pled guilty to charges of assault to injury and one of engaging in a course of behaviour which was abusive of his partner.
Defence agent Liam Mcallister said his client’s ex did not want a non-harassment order to be imposed as it would hinder Reid from having contact with their children.
He described the relationship as “toxic” and said Reid was not getting the necessary help to address his mental health issues in the proper way.
Mr Mcallister said the woman had stressed that she wished Reid to build on the steps he’d taken to rebuild trust and his relationship with the children.
“He recognises his behaviour and his actions led to him losing everything good in his life,” he added.
The solicitor said the later offences constituted “the bitter end of a relationship and the desperate acts of a man trying to keep it together, knowing his family was slipping away from him”.
He said Reid’s behaviour had been “nothing short of appalling”, but that he had no other cases outstanding”.
Sheriff Andrew Miller branded the offences “very concerning”.
As a direct alternative to prison, he placed Reid under 12 months of supervision and sentenced him to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work.
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