Man banged his unconscious wife's head against a wall in 'senseless' attack

Court: Was shown CCTV images of attack in Falkirk.© STV

A man who launched a violent attack on his wife and then banged her head against a wall while she was unconscious has been jailed.

Duncan Reid, 22, was paid by the state as carer for his wife Danielle, who has mental health issues.

But Stirling Sheriff Court was shown dramatic CCTV images of the former roofer launching a "sustained attack" on her during a night out in Falkirk as she screamed for help.

In an intervention described by Sheriff Wyllie Robertson as "astonishing" his wife wrote to the court saying the incident had been her fault because she had been drunk.

However he jailed Reid for almost three years, saying "sometimes some woman have to be protected from themselves."

Emma White, prosecuting, said police were alerted by a nightclub doorman who saw burly Reid pull Danielle to her feet by her hair as the couple made their way down Manor Street, Falkirk, just after midnight on February 12.

Ms White said the doorman could see that Danielle, who had been on the ground before being dragged up by her hair, was in distress and heard her crying "help me".

Describing the CCTV footage, Ms White said Reid could be seen dragging and pushing his wife, and striking her on the back of her head with his hand.

Ms White said Reid "seized her by the body and violently pushed her into the window of a shop".

The depute fiscal said: "She took the full impact with her left hand side of her face and her body, and was knocked unconscious by the impact."

The prosecutor added that Reid was then seen to grab his unconscious wife by the hair and bang her head against a wall.

After police arrived at the scene, Reid was arrested and his wife was taken to the Forth Valley Royal Hospital where doctors found she had a broken collar bone and severe bruising.

Reid, a prisoner in Barlinnie, pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife to her severe injury.

Sheriff Robertson jailed Reid for 33 months and ordered him to be supervised for 12 months after his release. He told Reid: "It is difficult I suppose for many people to fathom how your wife, having been attacked so graphically as shown in the CCTV footage, could possibly form the view that she was responsible."

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