NICHOLAS DEAN

On November 13, 2013, a 26-year-old man caused a severe injury to his girlfriend’s arm by using a knife to remove a contraceptive implant.

Nicholas Dean initially attempted to extract the 40mm flexible tube, but his first effort was unsuccessful.

He then sharpened the blade and made a second attempt, during which he cut so deeply that he exposed tissue beneath the skin and caused significant bleeding.

Dean, who was in Perth prison at the time, received a 55-week sentence after pleading guilty to the charges in Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Alasdair Thornton was told that both Dean and his girlfriend, Abby Fitzpatrick, were involved in the procedure.

Dean agreed to perform the removal after Ms Fitzpatrick expressed her desire to have the implant taken out, a task that is normally only performed by medical professionals.

Following the injury, they called emergency services, and police responded to the scene.

The couple then lied, claiming that Ms Fitzpatrick had been attacked by a mugger.

She was transported to hospital, while Dean tried to reinforce the false story by showing police where the supposed assault occurred.

He was charged with recklessly and culpably using a knife to excise the contraceptive device from Ms Fitzpatrick’s arm on August 4 at Alma Street, Inverkeithing, and with falsely informing police that she had been assaulted and robbed.

Additionally, Dean was convicted of assaulting Ms Fitzpatrick on Kirkcaldy Esplanade on October 25.

His solicitor, Andrew Grieve, stated that Dean believes the relationship has ended.