A LOCHORE woman was punched by her partner and had hot tea thrown at her.

John Clarke, 35, now living in Glasgow, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court as a result.

He admitted that on February 24, at Lochleven Road, Lochore, he assaulted his partner by throwing a cup of hot liquid at her, struck her to the head and attempted repeatedly to seize her by the neck.

Depute fiscal Zahra Bhatti said the woman had gone home at 5.15pm and confronted Clarke about a bottle of whisky she saw there, asking him if he had been drinking.

“He was being sick at the time and there was then an argument. He threw a hot cup of tea at her. It didn’t hit her but the cup smashed,” she continued.

Clarke then became “enraged” when the woman asked why he had been speaking to his ex-partner on the phone.

“He punched her to the jaw and tried to grab her by the throat,” added the depute.

Defence solicitor Chris Sneddon said: “There is a history of alcohol misuse. There was an argument which he tried to get away from but didn’t, then he reacted in this way. He apologises for his actions.”

Sheriff Andrew Berry told Clarke: “My first inclination would be simply to send you to prison. This behaviour was absolutely disgraceful and you have at least three previous convictions for similar offences.

“In these incidents, you’ve no control over your temper and just lash out.”

The sheriff said that the “current thinking” was that rehabilitation and education should be tried.

He put Clarke on the Caledonian Programme for domestic offenders and a community payback order with 150 hours of unpaid work.

The sheriff also imposed a two-year non-harassment order. He commented: “It seems you thought you would simply be going back and resuming the relationship as before but perhaps your partner needs protection from herself.”

He warned Clarke: “Be in no doubt that, if you don’t comply to the letter, it’s likely you’ll be off to prison. Society in general is fed up with people like you.”