A man who battered his former partner in front of a child - turning the woman's bedroom into a bloodbath - was today facing a lengthy jail term.
Dean Craig, 34, entered the 32-year-old woman's locked home in the early hours of the morning, walked upstairs, and attacked her in the room where she was sleeping with the child.
After breaking her jaw in a lengthy ordeal, he ordered the woman, Kelly Stringer, and the child, to get into bed with him and threatened to slit their throats if police were told what had happened.
As he fell into a snoring sleep, they crept out terrified - and fled to their nearest police station.
Falkirk Sheriff Court heard that the incident happened on July 1, 2021, at Miss Stringer's two-bedroomed end-terrace home in Falkirk.
Prosecutor Katie Cunningham said that Miss Stringer and Craig had previously been in a relationship together for 11 years, and had two children together.
The depute fiscal said that on the evening of June 30th, Craig had video-called Miss Stringer, demanding she show him all the rooms in the house "so he could see there were no males there".
Between five and six in the morning, Miss Stringer was woken by noises from downstairs in the locked house, and got out of bed and put her dressing gown on.
Miss Cunningham said: "She then heard footsteps coming up the stairs and opened her bedroom door and saw the accused standing directly in front of her.
"He assaulted her straight away."
Craig grabbed Miss Stringer by the throat with one hand, and threw her onto the bed where the child was still lying sleeping.
Miss Cunningham said: "He started to repeatedly punch Miss Stringer on the head, shouting and screaming at her."
The noise woke the child, but despite her now being aware of what was happening, and "distressed and crying", Craig continued the attack.
When Miss Stringer began to bleed, Craig pushed her face into a pillow and told her to go and clean the blood up.
She went into the bathroom, and saw "a substantial amount of blood was coming from her mouth".
Miss Cunningham said: "The blood went everywhere - on the sink, window ledge, mirror, toothbrushes, and soap dish."
Craig walked into the bathroom and ordered Miss Stringer to clean it up.
Back in the bedroom, he continued to "slap, punch or choke her" every time the terrified child looked away.
Eventually he stopped, and ordered Miss Stringer and the child to get into bed with him.
He then told the child that if Miss Stringer "made her speak to the police, she was to say no comment, or else he would come back and slit both their throats".
Miss Stringer and the child waited until Craig had fallen asleep and was snoring.
Then they went downstairs, "put on the nearest clothes they could find", got into Miss Stringer's car, and drove to Falkirk Police Station.
Officers called an ambulance for Miss Stringer - who had a broken jaw, which needed surgery and screws - while police went to her home and found Craig still in Miss Stringer's bed.
Miss Cunningham said: "There was blood on the floor and the pillows and sheets were saturated in blood."
Craig was arrested, and made no comment.
Appearing by video link from Barlinnie Prison, Craig pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Stringer to her severe injury.
The court heard he had previous convictions for disorder, vandalism, violence, weapons, and wilful fire raising.
Solicitor-advocate Stephen Biggam asked for the case to be continued for a background report, so Craig can be placed on a supervised release order when he has served his time.
Mr Biggam said: "A restriction of liberty order isn't going to be an option."
Sheriff Eric Brown deferred sentence until December 22nd for a criminal justice social work report, and continued Craig's remand meantime.
