PERTH MAN WEAPONIZES SELF-HARM IN DOMESTIC ABUSE SCENE, SENTENCED TO SUPERVISION AND WORK

A woman escaped in terror from her abusive boyfriend after he used self-harm as a weapon against her, Perth Sheriff Court heard. Taran Lush, aged 23 and resident of Dunnoch Park, Perth, was found guilty of behavior likely to cause fear or alarm during an incident at a property in Scone on May 30. The court was told that Lush had been drinking when he became abusive, making offensive remarks, smashing a glass, and then pushing broken glass into his own neck as a form of weaponization. He wrapped a belt around his own neck and pulled so tightly that it snapped. When attempting to prevent his girlfriend from leaving, he shouted: "Where are you f***ing going?" and pulled a dressing gown cord around his neck, pulling tightly. The victim fled into the street and knocked on neighbors’ doors, calling for help. A neighbour let her stay overnight. Sheriff William Wood described Lush’s actions as "absolutely terrifying" for the victim, emphasizing that Lush's use of self-harming as a weapon was very distressing. Lush was placed on supervision for a year and ordered to perform 75 hours of unpaid work. The court also noted that earlier this year, Lush had previously avoided prison after shouting and swearing at the same woman following a day-long drinking session, which left her and others frightened and barricaded in a bedroom. The sheriff commented that this incident appeared to be a "very much a one-off".