Suspicious Perth lover jailed for abuse

Oct 23 2009 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A PERTH man who terrified his girlfriend with a furious outburst was jailed for four months at the sheriff court this week.

It was his third offence involving the woman in three years, the court heard.

Thirty-seven-year-old Colin Innes, of Scott Street, was told by Sheriff Lindsay Foulis: “The bottom line is people can’t behave like this and expect to keep their liberty.”

The sheriff noted that the previous incident, which involved a knife, had resulted in him receiving a six-month sentence in September of last year.

“I presume you were released towards the end of the year but that did not moderate your behaviour,” he said.

“For whatever reason, you seem to be intent on acting in an abusive way towards this lady.”

The court heard that the red mist came down after Innes suspected his girlfriend was cheating on him.

When she came home at 4am he confronted her and during a violent outburst she fled terrified to the bathroom in a bid to escape from him.

But he pursued her and pushed her into the bath.

He admitted the breach of the peace, which took place at a house in Sydney Crescent, Auchterarder, on August 28.

Depute fiscal Janine Bates told the court that the woman had gone to work in a local hotel, leaving the accused in the house. She met up with friends afterwards but did not return home until 4am.

“The accused confronted her about his suspicions regarding her infidelity. The accused checked her mobile phone, saying he didn’t trust her, and said he believed she had been in the company of other men,” stated the fiscal.

An argument ensued and he began shouting and swearing and calling her names.

She left the kitchen and went into the living room to contact her daughter.

“He then became further enraged and continued shouting and swearing.”

The woman’s daughter heard the disturbance on her mobile and contacted the police.

Solicitor John McLaughlin said that alcohol had been a problem for the accused in the past but he thought it was under control.

He had consumed only two glasses of wine and a can of beer that evening, however.

Matters seemed to have come to a head about 2am when Innes heard a knock on the door and a man’s voice shouting for his partner.

The man claimed he had gone to the wrong door and made off, which only fuelled the accused’s suspicions.

Mr McLaughlin said the accused had previously sought help for anger management and would be willing to undertake a domestic violence programme.

The relationship was now over, he added.