A COWDENBEATH man who punched his partner sent her a message that said "‘I wanted to kill you and could have".

Barclay Denholm, 50, of Paterson Lane, sent the text while she was at the police station to report a lost phone.

The couple argued after drinking in a pub in the town and he lashed out and threw household items at her, leaving her with a black eye and swollen cheek.

Denholm admitted that on October 7, at Lochgelly Road, Cowdenbeath, he assaulted his partner by punching her on the head, pinning her against a wall and throwing household objects at her, all to her injury.

Depute fiscal, Azrah Yousaf, told Dunfermline Sheriff Court that, after drinking in the pub, Denholm had gone to get something to eat and his partner went home.

When he returned home his partner was initially asleep but she woke up and the two began arguing.

“He said he didn’t want to talk and punched her on the eye," said Ms Yousaf.

"She fell to the floor. When she got up he pinned her against the wall then started throwing household items at her.

“She could see she was bleeding. The next morning she went to the police station to report she had lost her phone.

“She had a black eye and a badly swollen cheek. As a result, police called for an ambulance.

"When she was with the police, she received a message from the accused which said, ‘I wanted to kill you and could have.’

“This message was seen by the officers.”

When interviewed by police Denholm admitting hitting her and said he had used a towel to stem the bleeding.

Defence solicitor, Roshni Joshi, said: “Alcohol was a problem for both of them at the time.

“He appreciates this is a serious offence but it would appear to be a one-off.”

Sheriff Craig McSherry called for reports and Denholm will be sentenced on August 29.