A BALLINGRY man verbally abused a pregnant woman, then pushed her down and tried to choke her, a Court has heard.

David Hodge (28) launched the attack on the woman, who had a three-year-old child with her at the time, at an address in Ballingry Crescent on 10th May last year.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that the woman had gone to visit friends and taken a the tot with her.

When she returned at around 11pm to the Ballingry Crescent home, Hodge was in the living room and became aggressive, asking where she had been.

The woman’s friends, who had walked back with her and just left the property, heard Hodge shouting, and alarmed, one of them shouted for the police to be called.

Fiscal depute, Cheryl Clark, said the child was in the room and the woman tried to calm the situation down to no avail.

She narrated, “The accused continued to shout further abuse and the child could be heard being upset by this.

“At this time he became angered and with her being pregnant, she was pushed onto the couch. He placed his hands around her neck and attempted to stop her breathing by constricting her airway.” She said the woman later went into a bedroom with the child and Hodge slept on the sofa. She went downstairs the following day and told him she wanted him to go, and left.

The woman contacted the police later that day “due to concerns about what might happen to the child”, and Hodge was later traced and detained.

Hodge, whose addresses were given as Craigie Street, Ballingry, and Bracken Brae, Perth, admitted that on 10th May 2013 at an address in Ballingry Crescent, he assaulted the woman whilst she was pregnant, pushed her on a couch, sat astride her and placed his hands around her neck and compress it, all to her injury.

He also admitting in the same incident that he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, acted in an aggressive manner, shouted, swore and struck a wall with a door. Furthermore, he pleaded guilty to failing to appear at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on 6th February 2014 without reasonable excuse. All offences were committed while he was on bail.

Solicitor, Ian Beatson, related that Hodge and the woman had been in a relationship “for a number of years”, and that Hodge “drank alcohol to access and took valium”.

Mr Beatson continued, “He had taken that combination and on returning home, an argument ensued about the child.

“Since this incident he has not been in contact with her and there’s no prospect of reconciliation.” Mr Beatson also said reports had highlighted concern that Hodge – who has previous mental health issues and alcohol problems – was in a “high-risk group” for domestic violence.

Sheriff Craig McSherry imposed a two-year community payback order, with Hodge required to attend the Positive Relationships groupwork programme. He also fined Hodge £50 for failing to appear at court.