EDINBURGH MAN STRANGLED PARTNER DURING TORRENT OF ABUSE IN MELROSE
A MAN carried out a shocking campaign of abuse against his partner including biting her and scaring her by saying he had access to a gun.Andrew Munro attacked the woman by grabbing her neck and strangling her, repeatedly accusing her of sleeping with other men and calling her degrading names while out in public.
Munro, 53, also controlled who she could socialise with and scoured the contents of her phone looking for clues of any infidelity during the couple’s “volatile and toxic” relationship.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the victim, who has since died, was left “scared” by Munro’s increasingly aggressive behaviour towards her and that he was “paranoid” about her cheating on him.
The 19-month-long catalogue of violence and abuse only came to light when family and friends spoke to police after the victim had passed away in unrelated circumstances in August 2023.
Munro was later arrested and he pleaded guilty to an amended charge under Section 1 of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 when he appeared at the capital court in January 2025.
The incidents took place at various locations in Melrose between January 1, 2022 and August 2, 2023.
Sentence was deferred for reports but Munro, currently of Drylaw, Edinburgh, failed to turn up for the court hearing and was only picked up by police on a warrant last month.
He returned to the dock for sentencing on Monday (February 2) but sentence was deferred further to next month for a previously called for social work report to be presented to the court.
Fiscal depute Jennifer McLaren told the court an investigation was held by police after the woman was found dead at her home in Melrose on August 2, 2023.
Family and friends were interviewed by officers and details of the abuse suffered by the victim at the hands of her then-partner came to light.
Ms McLaren detailed a series of incidents that were witnessed by family, friends and co-workers of the woman including Munro aggressively confronting her about seeing other men.
He regularly called her derogatory names and the court heard the victim had told a friend Munro had assaulted her when he “bit her to the thigh” and he had become “paranoid” about her speaking to other men.
The fiscal said one incident had seen the terrified woman record Munro on her phone where he was seen threatening her by shouting “I should choke you and strangle the f***ing life out of you”.
A further incident saw a friend inform police they had seen a text from Munro regarding the woman’s alleged infidelity with him stating “Everyone will be sorry - I will get a gun”.
Munro pleaded guilty to engaging in a course of behaviour abusive of a woman, now deceased, and did repeatedly act in an aggressive manner, shout, swear, utter offensive remarks and threats of violence, repeatedly accuse her of infidelity and seize her by the neck.
He also admitted to biting her on the body to her injury, sending a message that indicated he had access to a firearm, look at the contents of her phone and limit and control her contact with others at various locations in Melrose between January 1, 2022 and August 2, 2023.
