Domestic abuser from Motherwell sent to jail

George Allan broke through a bathroom door and continued to assault Mairi McMillan who’d tried to escape from him.

Allan, 27, of Vickers Street, Motherwell, admitted assaulting Ms McMillan at a house in Lindsay Drive on October 3 last year.

He also admitted committing the crime less than three months after getting bail in another matter and being ordered to stay away from Ms McMillan.

Allan further admitted breaching a fresh bail order by making contact with her again on January 11.

Vish Kathuria, prosecuting, said Ms McMillan suffered bruising and swelling as a result of the assault, but no fractures. She was taken to hospital for treatment.

Referring to the breach of bail in January, the fiscal said police went to Lindsay Drive after midnight following a call from a member of the public.

It was regarding a “distressed” female and a male who were arguing.

On this occasion there was no sign of physical violence.

Allan’s solicitor, Harvey Diamond, accepted the attack was “very unpleasant”, but suggested a community-based sentence could be imposed instead of prison.

However, Sheriff Vincent Smith pointed out that Allan has a previous conviction for assaulting the same woman and he concluded it had to be a jail stretch.

The sheriff told Allan: “This was a brutal and sustained attack on an innocent victim.

“You grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the ground then kicked her repeatedly on the abdomen.

“She managed to escape, but you followed her and punched her repeatedly.

“She escaped again and locked the bathroom door behind her, but you knocked a hole in the door and reached in to unlock it.

“Once again you assaulted her by punching her and when the police arrived they witnessed you striking her on the face with your clenched fist.

“In my opinion you are a violent man and the only appropriate disposal is one of imprisonment.”