Child flees house as mum is strangled

Jun 5 2009

A TERRIFIED six-year-old ran from his house screaming when he his saw his step-dad strangling his mum.

The quick thinking youngster made the frantic dash to a neighbour’s house when the boozed up thug came home and attacked his partner.

The hysterical child told the neighbour he needed an ambulance for his mummy.

Ayr Sheriff Court heard the details of the vile assault last week.

The 28-year-old pled guilty to assaulting his partner by grabbing her throat at their home in Maybole on February 21 this year.

Depute fiscal Stephanie Blair told Sheriff Thomas Millar that the man and the woman had been in a relationship for 15 months and that they had a nine-week-old child at the time of the attack.

At around 4pm, the accused returned home drunk and an argument ensued.

The thug grabbed her by the throat and pushed her backwards.

The pressure on her throat was such that she lost consciousness.

Having witnessed the whole thing, the woman’s six-year-old son, fled the house to get help.

When the neighbour ran into the house, he saw her drifting in and out of consciousness.

Ms Blair went on to tell the court that when police arrested the man and took him to the police station, he became volatile.

He also attempted to headbutt one of the officers.

After his initial appearance at court, he was released on bail but was told not to approach or contact his partner.

However, cops spotted him walking along the street with her weeks later and arrested him.

Defence lawyer Glenn Davis was successful in persuading Sheriff Millar not to jail the thug.

Sentencing the man, who gave a Dalrymple address, to 18 months probation, Sheriff Millar warned: “You must be aware that incidents of a domestic nature are serious and have led to prison sentences in the past – and they will in the future.”