MAN JAILED FOR STRANGLING AND SPITTING ON PARTNER
A man has been sentenced to jail for a series of domestic violence incidents, which included choking his partner and spitting in her face.During a hearing at Inverness Sheriff Court, it was disclosed that James Stephen and his partner had been together since June 2024.
After her mother’s passing, the woman traveled from Lhanbryde to meet Stephen at his previous residence in Edinburgh.
An argument at that address led to Stephen losing control.
Prosecutor Victoria Silver explained: "He told her he would bury her alongside her mother," and he threw her out in her underwear, along with her belongings, which he threw out of the window.
Assisted by passers-by, she returned to Moray.
Stephen later called to apologize, and in November 2024, he moved in with her in Lhanbryde.
Initially, their relationship was reportedly going well for three to four weeks, but then Stephen started using offensive language towards her.
The following month, he was briefly jailed and made threats to hang himself if she left him.
In August 2025, she told him she wanted to end things; he responded with a threat, saying, “If you do that, then you are dead,” and spat at her.
Witnesses heard that he would frequently spit on her, sometimes every other day.
In one incident, she asked him to take her dog outside, but he reacted violently, throwing her onto the bed, pinning her down, and insulting her.
In another case, Stephen held her by the neck for about five minutes, making a dismissive remark.
Prosecutors indicated this was the first time she genuinely believed she could be killed.
Two more incidents involving strangulation were also presented during court proceedings.
The woman finally reported the abuse to police on January 3.
Stephen pleaded guilty to a pattern of domestic violence from August 2024 through January 2026.
Defense solicitor Robert Cruickshank admitted prison was a certain outcome.
A victim impact statement, considered unusual, showed the woman wanted to keep the relationship and was against a non-harassment order.
Sheriff Gary Aitken questioned her reasoning, suggesting she might have personal issues influencing her decision.
Stephen was sentenced to 30 months in prison, with a warning that further violations could attract harsher penalties, stressing that his actions were completely unacceptable.
