IRVINE MAN JAILED FOR ASSAULT AND BREACH OF CONTACT BAN FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE
A man from Irvine severely assaulted his girlfriend of just one month and has been ordered to have no further contact with her.John McCulloch appeared before the court after admitting to striking the woman multiple times in the head at her residence in Dumbarton.
Court papers list him as residing in Irvine but note that he was in custody in Greenock.
The 42-year-old drove the woman to scream for help and thrash her legs to attract the attention of neighbors.
Their relationship began on March 5 and ended with the assault, the court was told.
On the night of April 19 into the early hours of April 20, they were drinking at her home.
During this time, McCulloch accused her of having sexual relations with a former partner.
When she left the room, he followed her and repeatedly punched her in the face.
To protect herself, she raised her hands.
She then fell to the floor, and he mounted her, continuing to punch her multiple times, resulting in significant bruising to her face.
She kicked at the floor and shouted for help, trying to alert a neighbor downstairs.
A witness saw McCulloch holding her jumper with his left hand and raising his right fist while her face was covered in blood.
The witness asked if she was okay, but McCulloch approached and told him to leave.
Seizing the chance, she ran downstairs to safety.
Police arrived shortly afterward and arrested McCulloch.
During police interviews, he denied any wrongdoing, claiming, "I never done it." He was released on an undertaking to appear in court, while the woman was taken by ambulance to the Royal Alexandra Hospital and later to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, suffering from neck tenderness and bruises.
A few days later, McCulloch contacted his ex via WhatsApp, and they talked for nearly an hour.
She showed him her injuries, and he promised it would never happen again.
Upset by this, she hung up and refused further calls.
He then messaged her stating he was nearby her house, which she believed meant he traveled from Irvine by train.
Concerned, she contacted police, who found him hiding under a tree in a nearby park.
He told officers he did not intend to hurt her, just wanted to apologize because she had called and invited him over.
McCulloch pleaded guilty to assault causing injury.
He also admitted to breaching a court order not to contact her, doing so repeatedly between April 26 and 28.
Both charges involved domestic abuse — either against a current or former partner.
His defense solicitor expressed that her client felt remorse and shame, acknowledging longstanding alcohol problems that contributed to his behavior.
She noted that while alcohol use does not justify his actions, it offers some explanation.
She also explained that the loss of both his brother and sister, and the grief associated with their passing, had worsened his alcohol dependency.
He is not eligible for participation in the Caledonian Men's Programme designed to address domestic abuse issues and must focus first on dealing with his alcohol addiction.
Sheriff Frances McCartney, referencing a detailed victim impact statement, described the incident as "an appalling example of domestic violence" and sentenced McCulloch to three years in prison, effective from April 28.
Upon release, he will be subject to 12 months of supervised release.
He is also ordered never to contact the woman again, refrain from making any comments about her online, and stay away from her street in Dumbarton.
