Unpaid work for man after 31-month abuse of woman

A man has been banned from contacting a woman he abused over a thirty-one-month period.

Brian Watson was made subject to a three-year non-harassment order and will have to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work.

The 57-year-old pleaded guilty to an amended charge at Wick Sheriff Court, last week.

Sheriff Gary Aitken heard that Watson's former partner was subjected to a sustained course of conduct between April 19, 2019 and December 1, 2022 during which he took hold of her, pushed her and used insulting language towards her, at Achvarasdal House, Reay, and elsewhere.

She contacted the police after the relationship broke down.

Solicitor Iain Cahill said that Watson had shown remorse for his conduct and wished to apologise to his ex partner. A factor in the offence was the accused's work which had regularly taken him away to Cumbria and this had "caused tension in the home", but that didn't excuse his behaviour.

Mr Cahill added that Watson, who was now in a new relationship, had been required to tender his resignation from a job he had held for some 25 years.

Sheriff Aitken, who saw a background report, observed that Watson’s former partner wanted a non-harassment order to be imposed.

The sheriff added: "I am persuaded, just, that matters can be dealt with by community service" but stressed that all measures he had taken, including compliance with the Caledonian Programme, were a direct alternative to a prison term.