Alarmed residents on a Moray street recorded a man threatening to cut his partner’s toes off with pliers during a heated argument.
Neighbours overheard the row involving Dainius Puzirevskas in Buckie shortly before 11pm on Saturday, May 4.
Elgin Sheriff Court heard yesterday that the East Cathcart Street residents started recording the conversation after hearing the 25-year-old shouting and swearing.
Fiscal Alex Swain said: “At this point the accused could be heard to say he would get pliers to pull her toes out and that he would punch her in the face.”
When later questioned by police about the threats he told officers he had merely said he would “squeeze them one by one”.
He added: “I was just trying to think of something to stop her. I can’t imagine doing it, I would never do it.”
Defence solicitor Kevin Anderson said his client had recently been made unemployed at the time and that had put a “significant strain” on the relationship.
He added: “It was clearly an unhappy time for the couple. He accepts he has well and truly overstepped the mark here and is ashamed of his behaviour.
“The complainer herself doesn’t consider herself a victim. Clearly that is not the test here but it shows the issues that were going on inside the home at the time – she says she was arguing as much as him.”
Puzirevskas had his sentence deferred for six months for good behaviour after pleading guilty to a charge of acting in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm.
