DUNDEE DEALER ADMITS SUPPLYING DRUG THAT KILLED TRAGIC TEENAGER LENNIX HUGHES
A “chilling” domestic abuser, who sent his ex-girlfriend from Stirlingshire intimate photos after she reported his crimes, has been jailed.Fast food worker James Woods, 22, from Cambus, subjected two women to violence and degrading remarks, then lashed out by sending sexual photos of both to his second victim.
Prosecutor Jamie Hilland told Falkirk Sheriff Court Woods kicked his first victim’s thigh up to 25 times, spat in her face, kicked her shin and throttled her for five seconds, all on different occasions.
He punched her in the stomach and arm and on another occasion, choked her with both hands three times, each for around seven seconds, with 20 second intervals.
Mr Hilland said the woman was “fearful for her life” and “believed he could kill her”.
Months later, he struck her face and chipped her teeth and the court heard he would regularly verbally abuse and trip her while she walked up stairs.
The woman now struggles to trust people and has nightmares about him coming back to hurt her.
During their relationship, friends said “it was like he’d been sucking the life out of her.” Within months of starting a new relationship, Woods was abusing his second victim, including accessing her phone to delete incriminating material.
Shortly after leaving and reporting him, he sent Snapchats of both complainers engaged in sex acts with him, the court heard.
Woods pled guilty to two charges of domestic abuse, causing his second partner to view a sexual image and disclosing an intimate photograph of his first victim without her consent.
Solicitor Murray Aitken said: “Without looking to deflect from these very serious matters… I think there’s a direct correlation to the break-up of his parents’ marriage in 2020.
“He doesn’t seek to use that as an excuse, he’s ashamed and embarrassed of his behaviour.” Sheriff Maryam Labaki said: “Many people are in modern families and have gone through separations of parents and they don’t go on to this behaviour.” She noted Woods’ abuse of his first victim was to the danger of her life and caused “lasting psychological damage”.
She said: “She believed you could kill her.
You threatened her with violence when she said she wanted to leave you.” The sheriff continued: “You have caused significant levels of psychological and sexual harm that will continue to impact their relationships in future.
“You are assessed as posing a significant risk.” First offender Woods was jailed for 16 months, to be followed by eight months of supervision and placed on the sex offenders register for a decade.
She granted forfeiture of Woods’ mobile phone and made lifelong non-harassment orders protecting both his victims.
