An Aberdeen man has admitted abusing his ex and hurling his dog to the ground during an argument last year.
Stephen Calder did not appear at Peterhead Sheriff Court to hear his sentence but pled guilty to two charges of domestic abuse.
The 67-year-old pensioner, whose address was given as Balnagask Circle in Aberdeen, had been in a relationship with the woman for four years at the time of the argument.
The court heard that Calder had been at the woman’s flat on Sycamore Row in Fraserburgh on May 4 2023 and she had come home to find him drunk in the living room.
Depute fiscal Sean Ambrose said Calder had gone out to take his dog for a walk at around 2.30pm, returning an hour later.
“He stated that he had picked the dog up and thrown it to the ground,” Mr Ambrose continued.
“The dog was frightened. The [woman] picked up the dog, but Calder grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her towards him. Then he seized hold of the dog.”
Mental health concerns
Concerned at his mood and behaviour, at 6.30pm the same evening, the woman rang NHS 24.
The court was told Calder was shouting and swearing in the background during the phone call, and at some point the woman told the call handler that he had assaulted her.
The call handler then raised the alarm with the police, who went to the property the same night and arrested Calder.
Calder’s defence agent Iain Jane said the couple had no children together and his client was now regarded as being disabled.
“The relationship has now ended,” Mr Jane explained. “The dog was surrendered on the same day.”
Calder admitted seizing hold of the woman, pulling her body, acting aggressively by shouting and swearing at her and of throwing a dog to the ground.
Sheriff Craig Findlater deferred sentence on Calder for good behaviour and ordered him to stay away from his ex-partner until the review hearing on May 20 2024.
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