Boyfriend attacked two partners who raised concerns about watching porn and smoking cannabis 

A short-tempered boyfriend attacked two former partners following arguments about his excessive watching of pornography and other complaints.

Michael Noblett, 25, admitted two charges of abusive behaviour carried out over many months, when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court today (Wednesday).

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said the first charge involved five incidents against a former partner at their home in Lerwick, carried out between 1st January and 23rd December last year.

The court heard how Noblett, who now lives in King Harald Street, first kicked her in the stomach following a trivial argument.

Next he punched her arm when she dropped his mobile phone.

When she unplugged a WiFi router during the middle of his gaming session, the court heard how Noblett responded by shouting and screaming at her, grabbing her by the neck and pushing her against a wall.

Mr MacKenzie said she managed to push him away, only for him to follow her, pushing her from behind and causing her to fall to floor, where he straddled her and continued shouting.

Again, she managed to get the accused off, only for him to push her out of the house and lock the door.

She went to a neighbour with no phone, keys or shoes.

“She was obviously very upset and distressed,” Mr MacKenzie said.

The next incident happened on 21st December when the complainer was getting ready to go out and asked Noblett not to use all of the hot water so that she could have a shower.

“That request angered him,” Mr MacKenzie said.

Noblett responded by trapping his partner between a door and its frame.

The final assault happened just two days later when the woman returned home after work and challenged Noblett about the smell of cannabis, which also angered him.

He pushed her up against a wall and almost knocked her down the stairs.

The fiscal said she phoned a friend asking to be collected from the home.

She went to get her bag only for Noblett to block her exit and press his body against her, the court heard.

He then threw a glass bottle at her, which glanced off her hand and hit her head about her eye.

She ran downstairs, out of the house and to a neighbour who called the police.

At this point, the fiscal said all the previous incidents came to light.

While the complainer was taken to hospital with a cut and bruise, Noblett was arrested and made a partial admission.

After his arrest a previous partner came forward with an account of further abuse, which took place  between March and September 2020, also at addresses in Lerwick,

Mr MacKenzie said the first happened when when she raised concerns about the “excessive amount of pornography” Noblett had been watching, which she felt was a problem.

The fiscal said the complainer raised it in a “nonconfrontational” way with the aim to be supportive.

However, he pushed her away, causing her to fall back and then shouted at her to get away, the court heard.

The second incident followed a joke the complainer played on him by pretending to lock him out of the house.

“He did not take the joke in good spirts,” Mr MacKenzie said.

“He was very angry and responded by lying down on the ground.”

When she went to get him off the ground, he kicked her leg, causing bruising.

The final incident happened after the couple had split up but remained in contact and Noblett pushed her following another trivial argument.

Mr MacKenzie said both complainers would support non-harassment orders being imposed on Noblett.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank adjourned the case for the preparation of reports ahead of sentencing on 20th December.