Man (24) jailed for two years and hit with non-harassment order after ‘disgraceful’ abuse of partner in Thurso street
A young man has been jailed for two years for relentless and vicious late night attacks on his partner as they walked along a Thurso street.
During her terrifying ordeal the victim was pushed to the ground by Ryan Swan (24) who straddled her, bounced her head off the ground and repeatedly tried to strangle her.
When she regained consciousness, she screamed and this prompted Swan to return and resume the vicious onslaught, punching and choking her again.
Sheriff Neil Wilson was told at Wick Sheriff Court on Tuesday that even when she told Swan - "You're going to kill me" the accused didn't desist.
Swan, of Riverside Terrace, Thurso, admitted a charge of assault on indictment.
Fiscal Depute Grant McLennan said there had been no hint of trouble earlier on June 10, 2023.
Swan and his partner had spent the day together at a barbecue with her parents.
They returned to Thurso in the evening and the accused went to the Commercial Bar to watch football.
Mr McLennan said: "[She] was texting him and everything was normal.
“Around 10.30pm she joined Swan at the bar and described him as being “heavily intoxicated but in good spirits”.
Swan’s partner was unhappy that the accused was vaping as he had promised to give up the habit and made Swan aware she was annoyed with him, through eye contact.
She left the bar to go to the accused's home and it was then the situation took a serious turn.
Mr McLennan said that Swan followed her, shouting: "Listen to me".
His partner continued walking and told the accused she would speak to him when he calmed down.
However, Swan persisted and continued to try and get her to stop, while roaring and shouting. As they reached the end of Couper Square, Thurso, she told Swan she would be going home the next day.
Mr McLennan continued: "Swan became agitated at this, which frightened his partner. She took out her mobile phone and told the accused that if he raised his voice to her again, she would call for help".
Swan then grabbed the phone from her and sprinted in the direction of his home. She followed him and outside the firm of W & D Ross, bent down to retrieve the phone which had landed on the ground. As she did so, the accused pushed her to the ground and she landed on her back.
Mr McLennan went on to describe the victim’s life-threatening ordeal. He said that Swan got on top of her and straddled her.
The fiscal depute went on: "He began punching her face repeatedly and went from that to hitting her head off the ground and then began strangling her.
“He tried to choke her three or four times which restricted her breathing.
“Each time, she managed to push the accused away and stop him from strangling her, but he returned to punching her or hitting her head off the ground.
“She told him 'You're going to kill me' but that seemed to have no effect as he kept a straight face and continued the assault.
“Swan again choked her causing her to stop breathing and being unable to move him from pinning her down, she lost consciousness.
“When she came round, Swan was some distance away but when she screamed, it prompted Swan to return and began punching and strangling her, causing her to go in and out of consciousness."
A nearby resident became aware of the commotion and heard "an alarming scream".
When they went outside they could hear the victim pleading - "Help me, help me, he's trying to kill me."
The resident observed Swan, whom she recognised, on top of the victim with his hands around her throat, smacking her head off the concrete and punching her in the face.
They attempted to intervene, shouting at the accused to "get off her" but Swan then dragged his partner out of view behind a car while she was deadweight and unconscious.
Mr McLennan: "Swan eventually stopped and disappeared through an alleyway."
The resident took Swan’s partner, bleeding from a head wound, into her home and called 999.
She was subsequently taken to hospital with swollen lips and bruising to her neck and jaw and was discharged after treatment.
Swan was said to have contacted two friends on Snapchat saying "I've killed her. I took her and slammed her head off the floor."
When asked if he had taken her pulse he replied: "Yea, she's dead".
When seen by the police, Swan said he had not meant to hurt his partner, adding: "I lost control".
He was cautioned and charged and made no comment.
George Mathers described Swan's actions as "disgraceful", "inexcusable" and "extremely serious" and added: "He is aware that he is teetering on the edge of custody."
The victim’s statement, said the solicitor, made for "extremely powerful reading".
Mr Mathers said the background report charted a pattern of family problems in Swan's life from an early age and mental health difficulties.
The solicitor stressed that the accused was a first offender and invited the sheriff to consider non-custodial options.
Sheriff Wilson said he regarded Swan's physical abuse of his partner as "extremely serious".
The sheriff told the accused: "You hit [her] head off the ground, strangled her and rendered her unconscious and when she regained consciousness you went back and did the same again."
Sheriff Wilson took mitigating factors into account and said that the appropriate jail sentence would be 24 months.
He also granted a non-harassment order banning Swan from having any contact with his partner for three years.
