An abusive boyfriend who took his “scared” girlfriend into the woods after a row was in a relationship that was “doomed from the start” – his defence solicitor has said.
Zharick Henderson, 22, returned to the dock to be sentenced after admitting to engaging in a course of behaviour that was abusive of his partner at the time.
The woman fell to the ground in the isolated and unfamiliar woodland, where Henderson had pulled at her clothes on March 21 last year.
During the ordeal, she sent a panicked text message to friends, saying: “I’m scared. I don’t know how to leave. I don’t know how to get out of here. Please help”.
Inverness Sheriff Court also heard that Henderson “would shout and swear” at his victim who used Snapchat to document the abuse, which included injuries and bruises.
‘The accused would shout and swear’
On two occasions, the behaviour escalated to the point of Henderson seizing the woman by the neck and restricting her breathing, the court heard.
Digital evidence showed the scale of the abuse that the poor woman had suffered at the hands of her nasty boyfriend.
Fiscal depute Alison Young told the court that she had been in a relationship with Henderson since Christmas 2021, but that it began to deteriorate in March last year.
“The accused would shout and swear at the complainer,” she said.
Following an argument on March 21 2022, the couple went to a wooded area near Henderson’s home.
He began pulling at her clothes, causing her to fall to the ground.
The woman then sent a text message to friends that read: “I’m scared. I don’t know how to leave. I don’t know how to get out of here. Please help”.
‘The relationship was ill-advised, doomed from the start, volatile and short-lived’
Recipients of the message were so worried that they drove to the wooded area to find the pair, but couldn’t.
Their concerns were reported to the police, who traced the woman together with Henderson and a family member at a property.
Officers noticed that the victim had “black eyes” and when they spoke to her she revealed to them how Henderson had behaved towards her.
Henderson’s defence solicitor advocate Neil Wilson told Sheriff Sara Matheson that his client, a first-time offender, was now in a new relationship.
“It seems to be going well and there are no concerns,” Mr Wilson said.
“Without attaching blame, the previous relationship was ill-advised, doomed from the start, volatile and short-lived.”
Sheriff Matheson ordered Henderson, of Stewart Street in Nairn, to carry out 210 hours of unpaid community work.
She placed him under social work supervision for two years and also imposed a non-harassment order that means he cannot come into contact with his victim for 30 months.
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