A DOMESTIC ABUSER has been jailed for 12 months following a string of offences towards his former partner.

Mark Bratchie of Mitchell Crescent, Hill of Beath, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing.

He also blamed her for his behaviour.

Bratchie previously admitted that on May 10 at Main Street, Lochgelly, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm in that he did repeatedly send electronic messages to his former partner, which were abusive and threatened violence, and smash her mobile phone by throwing same into the ground, and struggle with her.

Also, on May 25 at Main Street, Lochgelly, he assaulted his former partner, seized her and pulled her hair, he entered a house uninvited at shouted at her. And, having been granted bail on May 13 on the condition that he did not approach his former partner, did on June 5 and 6 at an address in Lochgelly failed to comply and was within her company.

Depute fiscal, Laura McManus, explained to the Court that Bratchie's former partner received a number of text messages of an unpleasant nature on May 10.

A flavour of those messages included insults such as "slut", "dirty black whore", "retard" and "mongrel".

The woman was at a public house at the time and accused attended there.

He approached her and struggled with her causing her to stagger backwards. The accused then made off.

The later offences occurred at another witness' home.

There had been funeral and parties were drinking there afterwards.

In the early hours at 4am, the victim was sitting in the living room when the accused let himself in through a door.

Bratchie grabbed her by the hair with one hand and accused her of sleeping with a particular person.

He said to her: "I would kill you if they weren't other people here".

Another party intervened and the accused became upset, blaming the victim for his behaviour.

He was able to persuade the woman to follow him from the property and the remainder of the evening continued without incident.

Defence solicitor, Alexander Flett, said his client was in custody for a month due to these matters and a report recommended that he be placed on the Caledonian Project so he could benefit from counselling.

Sheriff Alastair Brown asked: "He has sent offensive messages, has a bad record, blames the victim so where do we go from there?"

Mr Flett said: "The relationship between the two parties was a very difficult one.

"He has not seen the victim."

Sheriff Brown jailed Bratchie for 12 months and returned to custody for 200 days for previous offences.

A non-harassment order was also made for five years.