A thug assaulted his partner by pushing her head under the water as she took a bath – then told her it was “not a big deal”.
Jonathan MacPherson placed his hands on his then partner’s shoulders and pushed her under, causing water to spill from the tub.
But when he allowed her to surface he told her: “It’s not a big deal because I let you go.”
The incident, which took place in 2014, was one of four assault charges admitted by MacPherson at Inverness Sheriff Court.
He also admitted threatening or abusive behaviour. All the offences occurred at addresses in Inverness.
Fiscal depute Susan Love told the court that on another occasion in 2018 MacPherson had followed the woman into the bathroom and pushed her backwards into a bathtub.
Woman told assault was ‘long overdue’
Ms Love said: “He then proceeded to lean over her and punch her on the back of the head. During the assault, he commented that she was ‘long overdue it’.”
The court heard that later that year the woman had asked MacPherson to leave her home and turned away from him, at which point he had kicked her in the back of the leg.
“The back of her left thigh was skinned,” Ms Love told the court.
‘These are matters which he is not proud of’
The following year, when the woman accidentally called him by the wrong name, MacPherson grabbed her by her arm and then pulled her dressing gown over her face, causing her to call 999 and tell police that he was attacking her.
“He continued to shout and swear before he left the property through the back garden,” Ms Love said.
She explained that the woman went upstairs but as she came back down she found MacPherson was back in the property and “making comments to her that he was going to stab one of her friends” prompting the final charge of threatening or abusive behaviour.
Solicitor Willie Young, for MacPherson, told the court his 38-year-old client had been in a “chaotic and turbulent relationship” with the woman for around 10 years, but that the two were no longer together.
He explained that the offences, which date back up to seven years, all took place “against a background of alcohol and drug abuse.”
Mr Young said: “At various periods both had been abusing drugs. There were also incidents where alcohol featured prominently.
“He accepts responsibility for his role in these offences and these are matters which he is not proud of.”
Sheriff Margaret Neilson placed MacPherson, of Huntly Court, Inverness on a structured deferred sentence for three months and continued his bail. The case will call again on February 22.
