ABUSER SUBJECTED VICTIM TO VIOLENCE CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE OVER FIVE YEARS
A man accused of domestic abuse, including violent, controlling conduct and covertly recording his partner by hiding a phone in a pram, has just avoided a custodial sentence.Kieran Rodgers was sentenced at Elgin Sheriff Court to 300 hours of unpaid work the maximum available and a six-year prohibition on contacting his former partner.
The court learned that Rodgers, aged 26, and the woman had been together for approximately six years.
Fiscal depute Shay Treanor explained that initially their relationship was amicable, but frequent disputes arose, mainly attributed to Rodgers’ alcohol use.
Over time, Rodgers’ behaviour changed; he became angrier and more physical towards her, making her fearful of his temper, the court was told.
The first physical assault happened during the Covid lockdown while they were living with Rodgers’ parents in Findhorn; he kicked her thigh with force, leaving bruises.
He was shouting and swearing, prompting her to lock herself in a bathroom.
Attempts to seek help from Rodgers’ parents failed, as they apparently didn’t believe her.
Despite the abuse, their relationship continued, with both verbal and physical violence ongoing.
In August 2022, Rodgers, having consumed a large amount of whisky, visited the Nairn Highland Games.
Later, during a confrontation about his drinking, he threw a piece of wood, believed to be from a bedframe, which hit his partner in the face.
The couple separated in early 2023, with the woman moving into her own flat, yet Rodgers kept asking about her and her friends.
Their relationship rekindled after she became pregnant.
In May or June 2024, while shopping at Lidl, an issue with Rodgers upset him, causing him to shoulder-barge her forcefully, scaring her enough to leave the store.
Post-birth, Rodgers frequently messaged her to come home, citing difficulties with the baby’s sleep or behaviour issues.
She later found the cot’s wooden bar broken; Rodgers admitted he punched it out of frustration, though the baby was not present.
He also shouted at both his partner and their child regularly.
In one episode, he threw his vaping device in the nursery, and during an argument, he threw his phone at her, damaging the wall.
Throughout the relationship, there were periods of separation and distress, but she said she felt trapped with Rodgers.
He even showed up unannounced at her home during a visit with a friend and was observed arriving multiple times when she was with others, suspecting he was using tracking technology.
In 2025, while driving with her and their child, Rodgers argued over food and turned his head to look at her in the back seat without paying attention to the road for roughly ten seconds—a dangerous act that caused concern.
During the court hearing, Rodgers’ father interrupted with laughter, which the sheriff condemned sharply.
The sheriff emphasized that Rodgers’ actions left the victim very scared.
Although the relationship officially ended, abusive behaviours persisted.
The victim eventually discovered a hidden phone in the pram’s interior that had been recording her conversations.
He later discussed with her a conversation he couldn’t have known about, implying he had recorded her, possibly using a camera behind the TV.
Further violence included an incident that bruised her after Rodgers pinned her against a bed during an argument related to his drinking.
The court heard about the extensive police questioning and court process she endured.
Her solicitor, Megan Lee, remarked that circumstances led a young couple to live together unexpectedly during the pandemic, creating a toxic environment, and that Rodgers might have handled conflicts better.
She clarified that Rodgers has no prior convictions except for a speeding ticket and is employed full-time.
Despite concerns about his remorse, a social work report indicated he showed some reflection.
However, the sheriff questioned his sincerity.
Given the length and severity of the abusive pattern, the sheriff deemed Rodgers a significant risk of re-offending, even though he narrowly avoided imprisonment.
Instead, the sheriff ordered 300 hours of community service, the maximum, and two years of social work supervision, with a review scheduled in two months.
He cautioned that failure to comply could result in revocation.
Furthermore, Rodgers was issued a six-year non-harassment order to prevent contact with the victim.
