Woman thought she would die at hands of abusive partner 

A woman thought she was going to die when her partner strangled her during his “relentless” abuse, a court heard.

Stephen Downton, 47, pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court today (Wednesday).

Although the complainer said she did not want a non-harassment order, as she saw a future in the relationship, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said he may consider imposing one when the hearing resumes next month.

Downton’s defence agent Gregor Kelly acknowledged his client could be facing jail and stressed he understood the “gravity” of the situation.

The court heard how the violence took place over several hours, from the evening of 17th May, 2024, into the early hours of the following morning.

Downton and the complainer had been in a relationship for around two-and-half-years at the time of the abuse. The couple had been drinking at the complainer’s home, along with her cousin when it happened.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said Downton, of Maidenfield, Mossbank, was “relentless” in his behaviour .

He pursued her around the house as she tried to evade him, the court heard.

Mr MacKenzie said Downton repeatedly slapped her face with the back of his hand, in spite of her tearful pleas for him to stop.

He also twisted her fingers, knocked her head into a door, and bloodied her mouth when he kicked out and hit her chin.

When he put his arm around her neck and compressed her throat for 10 to 20 seconds, she could not breath, the court heard.

“I thought he was going to kill me,” she told police.

The court heard how the abuse followed an argument earlier that day involving the accused and the complainer’s adult son.

Downton left after the argument but returned that evening when the fiscal said he consumed a “substantial quantity” of alcohol.

Mr MacKenzie said Downton fell asleep on the sofa – and when he awoke he was “instantly belligerent”.

The court heard how he brought up the complainer’s son again and accused her of sticking up for him.

“He became quite unpleasant during these exchanges,” the fiscal said.

The woman fled her home, returning with a mutual friend, and told Downton to leave, which he did.

But he returned “almost immediately”, the fiscal said, and “without preamble” resumed his previous conduct.

Mr MacKenzie said he pursued her around the house, repeatedly striking her face, and followed her into the bathroom.

While they were sat at opposite sides of the sofa, Downton kicked out and struck her chin.

“She immediately felt her mouth fill with blood,” Mr MacKenzie said,

She made her way to the bathroom again to tend to her injuries and clean herself up, the court heard.

Returning to the living room, she asked her cousin to call the police, but Downton overheard her request.

At first the cousin was too scared to call – but did so “surreptitiously” by dialling 999 while the phone was in their pocket.

That call picked up Downton’s actions in the background, as the complainer tried to get away.

At this point, the court heard, Downton grabbed hold of her and threw her into a door, which hit her on the side of the face.

The police arrived soon after, Mr MacKenzie said, and found the complainer “visibly shocked and distressed and with obvious facial injuries”.

Although she did not require medical attention, the complainer had significant bruising around both eyes and a cut under her bottom lip.

Mr Kelly called for the hearing to be adjourned for the preparation of reports and said he would reserve his remarks for mitigation.

Sheriff Cruickshank adjourned the hearing until 9th April.