LEE SPENCE FROM LESLIE SENTENCED TO 44 MONTHS FOR BRUTAL ASSAULT IN FIFE

A man from Leslie, identified as Lee Spence, has been sentenced to a term of 44 months in prison following a violent assault that left a woman severely injured. The incident, which took place on March 2 and 3 this year at Kirk Drive in Leslie, involved a brutal attack that included strangulation, physical violence, and psychological abuse.

Spence, aged 22 and currently unemployed, was initially charged with attempted murder due to the severity of his actions. However, he ultimately pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of assault causing injury and danger to life. The assault was characterized by sustained violence that resulted in the victim, a 20-year-old care assistant, suffering multiple injuries. A doctor who examined her at Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline documented 16 separate injuries, including hemorrhaging in her eyes, which was consistent with strangulation.

The presiding judge, Lady Carmichael, addressed Spence at the High Court in Edinburgh, emphasizing the gravity of the offense. She stated that there was no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence, given that the assault involved hitting the victim on the head with a metal pole and restricting her breathing until she lost consciousness. Lady Carmichael noted that Spence would have faced a sentence of approximately five and a half years if not for his early guilty plea.

According to the prosecution, advocate depute Margaret Barron, the attack was triggered by Spence’s intoxication and agitation. The victim, who was at Spence’s home, was subjected to a terrifying ordeal after he became aggressive. She recounted that Spence began shouting at her, calling her derogatory names such as “a slag,” and threatening to kill her. The violence escalated when he grabbed a vacuum cleaner pole and struck her on the head with it. He then proceeded to punch her repeatedly on the head and body, before grabbing her by the neck and squeezing tightly.

The victim later described losing consciousness during the attack, stating, “after a few minutes everything went black and the next thing I remember I woke up and he was crying.” She was unsure how long she was unconscious. The assault continued when Spence grabbed her again by the neck, smashed a glass against a door, and stabbed her leg with shards of glass. During this violent episode, he shouted at her, “Look what you made me do.”

Adding to the brutality, Spence later laughed at the injured woman when she mentioned having a sore head. He responded by saying, “that’s where I hit you with the hoover,” and then burst into laughter. The victim’s colleagues later noticed her injuries, prompting police to be called to the scene.

Defense solicitor advocate Gordon Martin addressed the court, stating that Spence intended to seek help for issues related to substance misuse and anger management. He explained that Spence has a low tolerance for boredom and expressed hope that he could address these underlying problems.

As part of his sentence, Spence will serve his time in custody and then be placed on a supervised release order for one year. During this period, he will be under the supervision of local authorities, with the aim of preventing further incidents and encouraging rehabilitation.