Abusive Cumbernauld man locked his girlfriend up following a quarrel

Owen Fitzpatrick, 28, held Emma Sweeney, 27, inside their home in Cumbernauld’s Cairntoul Court last October.

Violence flared at the Westfield address as the victim tried to leave the scene as a dispute escalated in the home they shared.

Prosecutor Derek Buchanan told Glasgow Sheriff Court: “They continued to argue and Fitzpatrick stated: ‘There’s the f***ing key’.

“She went to leave but he seized her by the shoulders and pushed her.

“He then seized her by the throat and pushed her onto the bed.

“She screamed and tried to get to the door.

“He said Miss Sweeney didn’t listen to him and refused to let her go.

“This continued for two hours before Fitzpatrick opened the door and she was able to leave.”

The hearing was told last week told Miss Sweeney had been tormented at other times during their nine month relationship.

This included him checking her phone and swearing at her children when she wanted to go to the cinema with them.

After leaving Fitzpatrick last October, he then tracked her down near Glasgow’s Forge shopping centre.

He phoned Miss Sweeney stating that he was driving behind her.

She was then angrily told to “f***ing pull over.”

Raging Fitzpatrick asked: “Who is that in the f***ing motor - is it a guy?

“Who is that in the passenger seat? I’m going to run you off the road.”

Fitzpatrick was later arrested by police.

He pled guilty to engaging in a course of behaviour which was the abuse of your partner or ex-partner.

Sheriff Paul Crozier remanded him in custody pending sentencing next month.