ABERDEEN MAN GARRY MCCLORY SENTENCED TO 20 MONTHS FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE AND THREATS

Garry McClory, a 52-year-old resident of Aberdeen, has been handed a prison sentence of 20 months following a series of serious domestic abuse incidents against his partner, who also served as his carer. The court heard that over nearly five years, McClory engaged in multiple violent attacks and repeatedly defied court orders designed to keep him away from his partner, illustrating a disturbing pattern of behavior.

During the proceedings, it was described as a relationship characterized by toxicity and turmoil, with the court noting that it was '10 times more trouble than it was worth.' The prosecution, led by fiscal depute Lydia Ross, detailed numerous incidents spanning from November 2019 to March 2023, where McClory mistreated his partner and blatantly disregarded legal restrictions meant to protect her. These violations included physical assaults, threats, and harassment.

One particularly alarming incident occurred in February of this year at an address on Tedder Road in Aberdeen. McClory assaulted his partner multiple times on the head, causing her to scream for help and shout ‘get off of me.’ That same night, he made uninvited visits to her residence, called her degrading names, and managed to evade police officers until he was eventually apprehended through a search. During his interactions with law enforcement, McClory made inflammatory and offensive remarks, including accusations of rape against one officer and telling others that ‘all police should be should be raped before joining the job,’ remarks that further underscored his aggressive and disrespectful attitude.

Historical incidents were also recounted, such as the threat made on November 14, 2019, when McClory threatened to slit his partner’s throat and expressed his intention to burn down her house with her inside, stating, ‘I am going to get petrol and burn your house down with you lot in it.’ In June 2020, he followed her from a hotel, continuing to hurl abuse and making threats of violence. These repeated acts of intimidation and violence culminated in his guilty plea to five charges of threatening or abusive behavior, one charge of assault, and four breaches of bail conditions, including violations of community payback orders.

McClory’s defense argued that he was under the influence of self-prescribed Valium at the time of some incidents and that both he and his partner led chaotic lifestyles. However, Sheriff Graham Buchanan was critical of McClory’s repeated failure to seek help, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the abuse. The sheriff stated, ‘This abuse has been going on for nearly five years and leads to nothing but trouble for those involved. It really has to stop.’

In addition to the prison sentence, McClory was subjected to a five-year non-harassment order, intended to prevent further contact or abuse. Sheriff Buchanan expressed hope that the length of the imprisonment might serve as a deterrent, preventing McClory from engaging in further offending or abusing alcohol or drugs in the future, and underscored the importance of addressing such patterns of behavior to protect victims and the community.