A MAN whose abuse of a terrified woman caused her to harm herself with a knife in the hope she would “bleed out and die” has avoided prison.

Connor Goodfellow,24, repeatedly abused the female in Cowdenbeath between August 2020 and December 2020.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Goodfellow repeatedly kicked, punched and choked the woman, during the assaults. He also hurled vile verbal insults at her.

The court also heard how Goodfellow ignored court orders preventing him from contacting her and bombarding her with unwanted phone calls and messages which left her so distressed that she tried to take her own life.

Earlier this year prosecution lawyer Bill McVicar told judge Lord Arthurson about one of the attacks.

He said: “During the ongoing argument, the accused insulted the complainer describing her as mental.

“He put his hands around her throat and squeezed her throat.

“She ended up on the floor and while lying in tears the accused called her fat and a tramp.

“During the course of that morning, the accused repeatedly kicked the complainer on her body and repeatedly struck her on the head and body with his hands.

“She took a knife and held it to her stomach and began to hurt herself.

“She said she hoped she would just bleed out and die.

“At that point the accused took hold of the knife and got it out of her hands.”

Today (Thursday), at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Arthurson noted that Goodfellow had already spent the equivalent of a three-year prison sentence on remand.

He said he took this into account in his decision to impose a non-custodial sentence which includes the requirement to perform 250 hours of community service.

Goodfellow will also be supervised by the authorities in his local community for the next three years.

Lord Arthurson told Goodfellow: “Normally, a significant custodial disposal follows in a case like this. However, there are unusual circumstances here.

“You have a positive report. You have spent the equivalent of three years in custody.

“I think the public interest is best served in the disposal that I am imposing.

“I will impose a period of custody.”

The story emerged after Goodfellow, also of Cowdenbeath, pleaded guilty to physical assault and threatening behaviour charges last month. Sentence had been deferred for the court to obtain reports.

During those proceedings, Mr McVicar told Lord Arthurson that the incident involving the woman holding the knife to her stomach took place in August.

Goodfellow was arrested after members of the public found the woman wondering in a “distressed state” in nearby woodland.

She was taken to hospital and found to have injuries consistent with “blunt force trauma”.

Mr McVicar told the court that Goodfellow was given bail for the attack with the condition that he did not approach or contact his victim.

However, Goodfellow breached these conditions.

Mr McVicar said Goodfellow sent “unpleasant and alarming” messages to her over the Snapchat Social Media network. One message sent by Goodfellow spoke of how he hoped the woman would be gang-raped.

Goodfellow was once again arrested by the police on October 26 2020 and once again appeared in court and was granted bail with the condition that he did not approach her.

But the court heard that this did not stop him. Police were once again called to her home on November 8 2020.

The court heard that Goodfellow still continued to contact the woman. On December 3 2020, she received Facebook messages from him.

The court heard that the woman was left so traumatised by the messages that she decided to try and take her own life.

Mr McVicar added: “At 2pm on Monday December 7 2020, as a result of the distress caused by the accused contacting her, she took an overdose of her medication with the intention of killing herself.

“Forty five minutes after taking the overdose, she received more messages from the accused and they continued until 11pm when she was physically sick.”

The court heard that Goodfellow was then rearrested by police.

On Thursday, defence advocate Tony Lenehan KC said his client had displayed a “degree of insight” into his offending.

He said Goodfellow had already spent the equivalent of a three-year sentence whilst on remand and that he could be rehabilitated.

Mr Lenehan added: “Connor Goodfellow is a young man who can still make something of himself. He is a capable young man.

"If he is given a community payback order, it will prepare him for a useful role in society.”

Lord Arthurson warned Goodfellow that if he offended in the near future, he would be brought back to the High Court to face the prospect of a prison term.

He added: “It is almost certain that I will impose a period of custody.”