Jailed for assault

A Lerwick man has been jailed for seven months after assaulting his partner, including dragging her by her ankles and hair, as well as fleeing from police.

Trevor Couper, 25, of Hoofields pleaded guilty to repeatedly punching the woman on the head and body at his home on 4th November, when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Monday.

Couper, who appeared from custody, also admitted repeatedly forcing the woman to the floor dragging her outside by her ankles and hair, placing his fingers in her mouth, seizing her by the neck and threatening her with violence – all to her injury.

Couper further pleaded guilty to resisting, obstructing or hindering police officers, pushing past them, running away from them and struggling with them.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said the woman was an “on-off partner” and Couper had only been released from prison a few days prior to the incident.

He said the incident happened at 7.30pm and “at some stage, he started to accuse her of being unfaithful” and Couper assaulted the woman.

The woman’s injuries included bruising to her face, a bleeding nose and bloodied and swollen lip, the court heard.

After the woman called 999 the police arrived in a matter of minutes, Mr MacKenzie said.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client had been in custody for the past week and in that time had written a letter which was shown to Sheriff Ian Cruickshank.

Couper had been released on a home detention curfew, Mr Allan said, and while serving his sentence in prison had managed to kick a heroin habit.

“Tasting freedom”, Mr Allan said Couper had decided to get a bottle of vodka which was “a bad idea”.

Mr Allan said Couper’s tolerance for alcohol was low as he had not had any for a while.

Couper, the defence agent said, had “no real recollection of what took place but he does accept what he did” and was sorry for what he had done.

Mr Allan said he had been told there was a condition of the curfew that Couper should not approach or contact the woman. “She had decided to go and see him,” Mr Allan said, adding that was no excuse for what Couper did afterwards, but it was not the case he sought her out.

Sheriff Cruickshank sentenced Couper to seven months imprisonment for the assault and two months imprisonment for resisting, obstructing or hindering police officers.

The sentences were to run concurrent to each other, he said. Those sentences will run consecutively to the sentence Couper was already serving.