A MAN who subjected his partner to a horrific campaign of domestic abuse has been slammed for trying to pin the blame on his victim.
Scott McAlinn, 35, pleaded guilty to a series of charges of abusive behaviour towards his then partner at their home in West Kilbride between June 2021 and June 2022.
He admitted shouting, swearing, behaving aggressively and monitoring his partner’s movements using a Ring doorbell device.
He also pleaded guilty to uttering threats of violence and derogatory remarks on June 30, 2021 and to slamming doors at the property, causing damage to the walls, on February 15, 2022.
McAlinn also confessed to repeatedly sending the woman, who is no longer his partner, text messages after being asked not to, to attempting to control her movements, uttering threats, repeatedly sounding his car horn, pulling wires from the walls of the property and repeatedly shouting and acting in an aggressive manner.
McAlinn was due to be sentenced at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week, but the case was continued after a sheriff heard it was not yet clear whether McAlinn was deemed suitable for a place on the Caledonian project, which aims to change the behaviour of domestic abusers.
McAlinn’s solicitor said his client had pleaded guilty midway through a trial to charges which were “significantly reduced” from the ones originally levelled by prosecutors.
Sentence had been deferred until last week to allow social workers time to prepare a background report – and Sheriff Laura Mundell said she had concerns about McAlinn’s attitude to his offending, as set out in the social work report.
She said: "The complainer gave evidence over two days, and was very distressed doing it.
"The most critical matter at the moment is whether I am going to sentence him today at all, or follow the social work report to see whether he is suitable for the Caledonian project.”
McAlinn's lawyer added: "Though the complainer gave evidence, she was spared cross examination.”
Sheriff Mundell replied: “The complainer was not really spared the experience.
"The report does say that there’s a suggestion he is trying to minimise his criminal conduct and blaming the complainer.
"If I get a report back in four weeks, and it says he is not suitable because he's blaming the victim and minimising his involvement, and is not suitable for the programme, we will see.”
Addressing McAlinn directly, the sheriff added: “I certainly hope that the report will be a positive one.
"I am going to defer the case for another four weeks to allow further assessment of whether you are suitable for the project. “
A non-harassment order banning McAlinn from approaching, contacting or attempting to approach or contact his victim was continued until that date.
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