A north-east man has been handed unpaid work after punching his partner in the stomach and rupturing her spleen when she discovered a notification from a pornographic website on his phone.
Darren Murray, 28, initially refused to reply when questioned by his partner, who noticed a notification from a pornographic website on his phone.
And when she later tried to get his attention by pushing his leg, he jumped up and punched her in the stomach, leaving her doubled over and struggling to breathe.
It later emerged she had suffered a ruptured spleen.
The assault happened at around 10am on August 23 last year at an address in Peterhead.
Murray, whose address was given in court papers as Marshal Keith Drive, Peterhead, previously pled guilty to assault to severe injury and impairment.
Defence agent Leonard Burkinshaw said the incident occurred at the end of long period in which his client had been working a night shift.
He said: “He’d come home and gone to bed. His partner wanted him to do other things.
“He said he would assist once he had a few hours sleep.
“She wasn’t happy with that and was less happy when she found certain things on his phone.
“She came in very upset about that and had hit him, he jumped up and struck her once and unfortunately it resulted in the injuries.
“When he realised the seriousness of what happened he himself phoned an ambulance.”
Mr Burkinshaw said Murray had lost his job since the incident. He said: “He’s devastated by the impact of what he has done. It has effectively not only ruined his life but it’s clear he’s very aware of the impact it’s had on his partner and children.”
Sheriff William Summers ordered Murray to be supervised for two years, complete the Caledonian programme, and carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.
He also imposed a three-year non-harrassment order.
Fiscal depute Katy Begg previously told Aberdeen Sheriff Court Murray and his partner had been in an on-off relationship for some eight years at the time of the offence.
Ms Begg said: “The complainer was getting her children ready for the day while the accused was asleep.
“He had just finished a night shift.
“The complainer could not find her phone so she picked up the accused’s phone intending to use it to find her own.
“She saw a notification for a pornographic website appear on the accused’s phone.
“She asked the accused about it but he did not reply.
“A short time later she returned to the bedroom and asked the accused to get up and help her.
“He did not reply so she pushed his leg in an effort to get a response.
“The accused jumped out of bed and punched her to the stomach, causing her to fall to the ground in severe pain unable to catch her breath.”
Ms Begg said the woman was left with a ruptured spleen following the attack.
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