Offender hits his cancer patient partner with metal bucket in Grangemouth hotel attack

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, William Ferguson, 57, had pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner – throwing a metal bucket at her an striking her head to hir injury – at the Grange Manor, Glensburgh Road, Grangemouth on August 21 last year.

Ann Orr, procurator fiscal depute, said: “The parties had been in a relationship for 20 years and there had been difficulties in the past. On the day in question they were staying the night at a hotel and during the course of the evening had consumed alcohol.

"They had gone to Falkirk town centre to a bar, but when it came time to return to the hotel the accused appeared to change his mood. He was upset at this partner for wanting to go back and stop drinking.

"He arrived hours after her at the hotel and came into the room, becoming aggressive towards her and she backed off from him. He picked up a metal ice bucket and threw it at her.

"It struck her head causing a cut which began to bleed quite heavily. She started to call 999 – he didn’t want her to call the police. She tried to get him to go to bead and he went to sleep and she then contacted the ambulance service.”

When police arrived at the hotel they found Ferguson still asleep. His partner required three stitches to her head wound.

The court heard Ferguson, who had drunk so much on the night he had no recollection of events, was still in a relationship with partner despite the attack.

He was also said to be acting as a carer for his partner, who has a rare form of terminal cancer.

Sheriff Alison Michie noted he had two previous domestic convictions relating to the same complainer, however, the last one was back in 2007.

She placed Ferguson, 239 Ritchie Park, Johnston, on a supervised community payback order for 18 months with the condition he complete 225 hours of unpaid worj within 12 months and he engage with the Up To You programme to address his domestic offending.