Dunfermline man sentenced for nearly two years of domestic abuse and threats

A woman from Dunfermline was subjected to nearly two years of severe abuse by her ex-partner, James Kennedy, aged 32, who has now appeared in court for sentencing. Kennedy admitted to engaging in a continuous pattern of abusive conduct between February 1, 2022, and January 18, 2024, at an address in Dunfermline and other locations. His abusive actions included sending threatening emails to his former partner, such as threats to cut her throat, and sharing photographs of a knife along with videos and voicemails where he further threatened her with violence. Kennedy also visited her family home, shouting and banging on the door, while in possession of a knife, and posted offensive, derogatory content online about her and her family. He also threatened to attack any males present at her home. The messages included statements like 'This isn’t a threat, it’s a promise. I’ll cut your f****** fat throat' and contained photos of a kitchen knife. Videos sent by Kennedy contained threats such as 'See you soon trust me', along with offensive comments about her and her family. The sheriff in the case, Susan Duff, highlighted that Kennedy also made "absolutely horrendous" remarks about a 10-year-old child. During the court hearing, Kennedy acknowledged his actions, stating, "What I did was disgusting." His defence cited mental health issues and alcohol as contributing factors. Sheriff Duff described the campaign as "horrendous" and imposed a community payback order requiring 200 hours of unpaid work, three years of supervision, and participation in the Caledonia Men’s Programme for domestic offenders.