WILLIAM MACFARLANE INVERNESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SCANDAL: VIOLENT ASSAULT AND STRANGULATION CASE

An incident of severe domestic violence involving William MacFarlane in Inverness has resulted in a significant prison sentence, highlighting ongoing concerns about his threat to women. On June 20, 2023, MacFarlane, aged 25, engaged in a brutal assault on his partner that left her injured and terrified, prompting a court to impose a substantial penalty.

MacFarlane pleaded guilty to charges of assault resulting in injury and danger to life during a hearing at Inverness Sheriff Court. The court was informed that the assault occurred during an argument around 8 pm, which quickly escalated into violence. The victim, in distress, called her mother to ask MacFarlane to leave their shared residence. However, he refused to do so, leading to a heated exchange. Her mother warned him to vacate the premises or call the police, but the situation deteriorated further. During the argument, MacFarlane was heard shouting and answering the victim’s phone, where her mother could hear her daughter screaming “Out!” before the call abruptly ended.

Details of the assault revealed that MacFarlane physically attacked the woman by grabbing her hair, punching her repeatedly on the head and body, and ultimately knocking her to the ground. The assault intensified as he headbutted her and continued to shout at her. The violence then took a more severe turn when he applied pressure around her neck and kneeled on her, causing her to lose consciousness. When she regained consciousness, she found MacFarlane attempting to revive her, but he then resumed hitting her. The victim managed to make a second video call to her mother, who witnessed MacFarlane lunging at her daughter, grabbing her hair, and heard her screaming for help. Despite her pleas for him to stop, MacFarlane responded with a dismissive “I don’t give a f***,” before the call was disconnected.

In a subsequent distressing call, the woman was seen struggling to stay conscious, prompting her mother to contact the police immediately. The court was told that the victim was visibly distressed and in a state of shock, underscoring the severity of the attack. The defense acknowledged that MacFarlane was intoxicated at the time, with issues related to alcohol and Valium contributing to his behavior.

Sheriff Macdonald sentenced MacFarlane to 37 months in prison, to run concurrently with his previous sentence of 40 months handed down in November for kicking the same woman’s head “like a football.” The sheriff emphasized the seriousness and violence of the assault, describing MacFarlane as “a danger to women.” She also ordered that upon release, MacFarlane would be subject to 12 months of supervised release and a second 10-year non-harassment order to prevent any further contact with the victim. The sheriff warned that any breach of these conditions could lead to re-incarceration, reflecting the ongoing risk MacFarlane poses to women in Inverness and beyond.