Wick court told of Halkirk man’s ‘controlling behaviour’
A Halkirk man has gone on trial accused of subjecting his former partner to a regime of abusive and controlling behaviour.
Neil Macdonald (35) of Eastside Cottage, George Street, Halkirk, has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges against him.
It is alleged that between April 1, 2019 and June 30, 2021 he entered into a course of conduct that caused his former partner psychological harm by seeking to make her financially dependent on him.
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It is asserted that he caused her to reduce her working hours; monitored her whereabouts and arranged for a third party to follow her.
It is also alleged that he threatened to prevent her from having contact with her children; shamed her by calling her fat; checked her mobile phone without her consent; and entered the bathroom while she was in a state of undress despite being asked not to do so.
The woman was the chief witness for the prosecution in the trial when it opened at Wick Sheriff Court on Tuesday of last week.
She gave her evidence to the court by video link, and had not been speaking for very long when she broke down and had to take a break.
She said that her relationship with Macdonald began in 2009 when she was a 15-year-old schoolgirl and it ended in 2021 but there were "patches [during that time] when we were not together".
Asked by Fiscal Depute Grant McLennan about the reason for the first temporary split she said: "It was not a happy household."
"Not a happy relationship?" queried the fiscal depute.
She replied: "No, not at all".
Mr Maclennan asked : "What was it about the relationship that made you unhappy?"
She replied: "He made comments that we were just like roommates and that I would be happier with someone else".
She said that Macdonald would also make remarks about her appearance and told her that she didn't give him the sex he wanted.
At that point in her evidence she became tearful and Sheriff Neil Wilson suggested a short break.
When she resumed her testimony the woman said that she had worked part-time in McColls newsagents in Halkirk at one point and had become friendly with a male customer.
She told the court: “It started as friends but gradually became a relationship."
However, the romance ended after she returned to Macdonald.
She said that after she split with Macdonald for the final time she rekindled her friendship with this other man and subsequently married him. The trial will continue on August 8.