A COWDENBEATH man has been sentenced for carrying out assaults on two women.

In one of the incidents, Peter Muir grabbed the victim by the throat, choking her as he shouted sectarian abuse.

Muir, 59, of Drylie Street, Cowdenbeath, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

Previously during the course of a trial at the court, he changed his plea.

He admitted that on 12th May 2015 at Grainger Street, Lochgelly, he assaulted a woman by pushing her on the body, seized her by the throat, compressed it, restricted her breathing and shouted sectarian remarks at her.

He had already admitted a second charge that on 8th September last year at an address in Stenhouse Street, Cowdenbeath, he assaulted another woman by pushing her against a radiator to her injury.

Defence solicitor Chris Sneddon said, “He found it distressing listening to her evidence. He couldn’t remember what had happened but accepted her evidence.

“His position had been that it didn’t happen but he found her evidence compelling.”

The solicitor added that alcohol played a significant part in his client’s life.

Sheriff Craig McSherry imposed a community payback order with 12 months’ supervision, 200 hours of unpaid work and order to undergo alcohol counselling.

The sheriff warned Muir that if he breached the order he could be facing a two-year jail sentence.