Angus domestic abuser who said he’d rather go to jail than do unpaid work told sentencing ‘not a negotiation’

An Angus domestic abuser has been put on an electronic tag after being told by a sheriff that court sentencing “isn’t a negotiation”.

Martin Robertson had said he would rather go to jail than do unpaid work for the offences against his girlfriend.

The 42-year-old appeared for sentence before Sheriff Derek Reekie at Forfar Sheriff Court having previously pled guilty to breaching bail, assaulting his partner and engaging in a course of abusive conduct towards her in July this year.

The court heard Robertson, of Christies Lane, Montrose was thrown out the woman’s house in Brechin on July 30 when she packed his belongings in bags after a drink-fuelled row.

He began sleeping in his car, which was parked outside the victim’s home, and the court heard Robertson then started to message the woman with texts of a concerning nature.

Defence solicitor Billy Rennie told the court the parties were now reconciled, but not living together.

“His position is that he would rather go to prison than do unpaid hours,” he said.

“I have explained how bizarre that position is but he is quite forthright about that, not in any way aggressive, but firm about his view that he doesn’t agree with doing unpaid hours.

“He would rather be on a restriction of liberty order, which I would suggest is a higher tariff than normal for this sort of offence.”

Sheriff Reekie told Robertson: “This isn’t a negotiation, I need to decide what is the appropriate penalty for the offences before me.”

Robertson was placed on a two-month tag, given a nine-month supervision order and fined £300.