A brute who battered a pregnant woman at a Motherwell flat has been sent to prison.
Daniel Cooper was jailed for 17 months for the attack on the woman on December 28 last year.
Cooper, a serving prisoner, had already admitted subjecting the woman to the terrifying attack at the flat in Baron’s Tower and appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court this week for sentencing.
The 24-year-old is currently serving eight months for breaching a community payback order and Sheriff Thomas Millar said his latest 17-month stretch will start when that one ends.
The sheriff reduced the sentence from 24 months because of his guilty plea.
Defence solicitor Diarmid Bruce said Cooper has difficulties with alcohol and drugs, and “let himself down” with the attack on the woman.
He added: “It’s to be hoped prison has ‘the desired effect’ on him.”
Previously, the court heard that CCTV captured Cooper, who had been in a relationship with the woman for six months, leaving a friend’s house with the victim.
There was an argument due to Cooper being drunk and his belief that she was laughing at him.
When they got out of a lift at the tower block, she got keys out of her bag to open the door. However, Cooper grabbed her, put her in a head lock and took the keys from her.
Cooper then seized her by the hair and pulled her into the property.
Once inside the flat Cooper then began the sustained assault which included seizing her by the neck, which the victim said left her struggling to breath and punching her repeatedly on the head.
Cooper then took the only set of keys for the flat and locked her in.
Neighbours heard the woman’s screams and police attended. Cooper was found by officers outside the tower block with dried blood all over his knuckles.
The woman, who was 17 weeks pregnant at the time, had bruising and swelling all over her body.
