Woman’s ordeal after ex-partner forced his way into her home
A Fife woman has described how she was attacked by her former partner, who forced his way into her home and subjected to her to a terrifying ordeal.
The early morning incident ended with Barry Clelland stealing the victim’s mobile phone, a trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard.
Clelland (36), of Brisbane Court, Giffnock, was found guilty of offences against his former partner at her home in Crossgates, on 18th January.
He behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by attending there uninvited, forced his way into the house, seized hold of her phone, seized hold of her and restrained her, shouted and acted in an aggressive manner, placing her in a state of fear and alarm.
He was also found guilty of stealing her mobile phone.
The woman told the court she was in a relationship with Clelland for around 18 months until they split up in November.
She said he turned up at her door at 7.40am on 18th January and began banging on the door.
She went to her window and he was saying he wanted his TV back.
“I didn’t want him to come into the house but I thought if I gave him the TV he would go away,” said the woman.
When she opened the door, Clelland put his foot inside and forced his way inside.
Depute fiscal Claire Bremner asked the woman how she was left feeling following the incident. “Quite vulnerable, scared, very shaken, sore and nervous about going out,” she replied.
The witness said that during the incident she was twice pushed to the ground and Clelland sat on top of her.
She said he also “put me in a headlock and strangled me”. At one point she screamed for help and was thrown to the ground again by Clelland.
She said she was forced to put her PIN number into her mobile phone so that Clelland could check messages. He then started calling her offensive names.
The victim said she had asked Clelland, “Are you going to kill me?”
He had replied, “I could if I wanted to.”
Clelland did not give evidence. He was found guilty by Sheriff Robert Dickson.
The sheriff deleted some of the allegations from the charge because of lack of collaboration but said, “I don’t doubt for a second what she said was credible and reliable”.
Sentence was deferred until 6th April.