Man hit partner with mug after row over housework

A Lerwick man hit his partner over the head with a mug after she asked him to help with housework following a night on drink and drugs, a court heard.

Cory Williamson, 22, injured the mother of his child so that she needed hospital treatment and then assaulted her again when she came home.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard how Williamson also attacked two police officers and breached his bail conditions twice by contacting the complainer.

He had already admitted the offences but was back for sentencing on Wednesday.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said the first assault happened after a row on the morning of 26th January, 2023, at the couple’s home in Lerwick.

“She simply asked the accused if he could help with the housework,” he said.

“That annoyed him and an argument developed during which he began pushing her around the bedroom.”

After the complainer called a friend, the fiscal said Williamson pushed his face close up to hers, then picked up a mug and smashed it over the side of her head.

The complainer’s friend and mother arrived to take her to hospital where she was treated for cuts.

Returning home, she found the accused sleeping on the couch.

Mr MacKenzie said the complainer woke him to say she would be staying with a friend.

That “again angered him”, the fiscal added, and he began pushing her.

Her friend intervened and Mr MacKenzie said he slapped her on the face before turning his attention back to his partner.

The accused was pushing her at the top of the stairs, the court heard, so that the complainer feared she would fall, grabbing his arm to steady herself.

However they both fell down the stairs, with the complainer hitting her head on a radiator causing her to bleed from the back of her head.

Once back on their feet, Mr MacKenzie said Williamson punched her in the face before running out of the house.

The police were called and apprehended Williamson soon after.

He was taken to the police station where he gave a “no comment” interview.

As he was being charged, however, the fiscal said he became aggressive towards one of the officers, punching him repeatedly.

Williamson got under the desk where he tried to grab one of the officer’s radio, the court heard.

He also kicked another female officer between the legs.

Defence agent Marc Dickson said his client had been out the night before when he had drunk and taken “a number of illicit drugs”.

“His recollection is hindered and impaired by that,” he said.

“He very much wishes to apologise to all parties who were involved and had to experienced the unfortunate nature of his behaviour at the time it occurred and thereafter when he was taken into police custody.”

While the drink and drugs went some way to explaining what happened, Mr Dickson acknowledged it did not excuse his client’s behaviour.

He said Williamson was aware of the “very perilous nature of his predicament” and the possibility of a custodial sentence.

Mr Dickson said his client looked at imprisonment with a “degree of dread” having spent a short time incarcerated in the past.

The defence agent said Williamson had not taken cocaine or benzodiazepines following the incident, which was backed up by drug tests.

Turning to the bail breaches, Mr Dickson acknowledged it was a “cause of real concern”.

He said both happened after the complainer asked to see him, first in December to discuss their child’s welfare and again on Saturday when she was in crisis.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told Williamson he must stop this behaviour if he wanted to stay out of prison.

“I will say this very clearly – this is very much the final straw,” he added.

“If there’s any repeat offences of this nature , it is more likely than not a custodial sentence will be imposed.”

Sheriff Cruickshank ordered Williamson to comply with a two year supervision order, and carry out 240 hours of unpaid work.

For the breach of bail offences, he deferred sentencing for three months for Williamson to be of good behaviour and comply with his community payback order.

Previous bail conditions not to contact the complainer no longer apply.