A man who assaulted his partner on Christmas Eve blamed the attack on the “stress” of the season, a court has heard.
Catalin Nistor, 32, kicked his partner, grabbed her hair and pulled her to the ground during the December 24 assault.
His solicitor told Sheriff Gary Aitken that it was not prompted by drink or bad temper, but simply the “stress of Christmas time”.
Nistor pled guilty to the single charge of domestic assault at Inverness Sheriff Court.
The complaint detailed how he assaulted the woman by “kicking her on the body, seizing her by her hair and pulling her to the floor” at their address in Craig Road, Dingwall.
Christmas ‘stress’ prompted assault
When asked by the sheriff if the attack had been due to “bad temper or drink” Nistor’s solicitor Kevin Hughes replied that it had been “the stress of Christmas time”.
He added that the couple, who are Romanian nationals, would usually visit family over the festive period, but had not done so this year as they are trying to save money to buy a house.
He told Sheriff Aitken that Nistor’s victim was in the building “is asking the court to allow her partner to return home”.
“They’ve been together for 10 years. They came to the UK five years ago and they have had no difficulties in the relationship,” Mr Hughes added.
Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh confirmed there had been no previous incidents.
Sheriff Aitken deferred sentence for the production of a criminal justice social work report and an assessment for the Caledonian Men’s Programme – a course aimed at addressing domestic offending behaviours.
‘No excuse’ for physical violence
He told Nistor: “There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for resorting to physical violence in the course of an argument – considerably less excuse for it when it is your partner, and the mother of your child.
“Society does not accept behaviour of this kind and the courts will stop it.”
He released Nistor on bail, allowing him to return home until the case calls again but warned: “Absolutely no behaviour of this kind in the future.
“If there was, that would be a separate offence and would almost certainly result in a period in jail.
“Be on your best behaviour.”
