JAMES BURNS OF DUNDEE FOUND GUILTY OF THREE-YEAR TERROR CAMPAIGN AGAINST EX-PARTNER
James Burns, a 30-year-old resident of St Clement Terrace in Dundee, has been convicted by the High Court of Justiciary in Dundee for orchestrating an extensive and brutal campaign of domestic abuse that spanned over three years.The court heard how Burns subjected his former partner, Michelle Collins, to a series of harrowing acts of kidnapping, physical violence, and psychological torment from April 1, 2019, to August 5, 2022.
Throughout this period, Burns repeatedly confined Ms Collins in various locations across Dundee, including their shared flat on St Clement Terrace, a property at 42 Turnberry Avenue, the Downfield Public House, and a residence on Strathmartine Road.
Witnesses described how Burns would forcibly lock her inside these premises, often resorting to violence by punching and kicking down doors to prevent her escape.
He also seized her mobile phone on multiple occasions, effectively silencing her and preventing her from seeking help from authorities or loved ones.
The court was shown evidence of Burns’s extreme physical abuse, which included strangulation and throttling that left Ms Collins gasping for air.
In addition, he struck her with bottles and metal cans, leaving her battered and bloodied.
His rage was uncontrollable at times, as he threw lamps, crockery, and furniture across rooms in fits of fury.
Witnesses recounted how he spat in her face and hurled abusive slurs, further degrading her and intensifying her suffering.
Beyond the physical violence, Burns exerted complete control over Ms Collins’s life.
He manipulated her finances by denying her access to money, stalked her by following her to work and even forcing open her car door, and sent threatening letters through her home letterbox.
Court testimonies also revealed his disturbing comments about her children, adding a psychological layer of cruelty that deepened her trauma.
Despite being granted bail by Dundee Sheriff Court in September 2022, Burns demonstrated blatant disregard for the law by admitting six months later that he had violated those bail conditions.
Although he was acquitted of some related domestic abuse and sexual offence charges, the jury found him guilty of the core offence under Section 1 of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018.
This conviction confirms his involvement in a sustained pattern of coercive and violent behavior.
Judge Lady Drummond decided to defer sentencing to allow for a social work report and continued Burns’s bail.
The formal sentencing will take place at the High Court in Glasgow in June 2025, where Ms Collins’s three-year ordeal of kidnapping, torture, and psychological abuse will be formally addressed by the judicial system.
