Dingwall man spent terminally ill partner’s benefit money on alcohol
A DINGWALL man who took his terminally ill partner's benefit money to spend on alcohol and who cut her hair against her will has escaped a jail sentence.
Sheriff Sara Matheson decided against imprisoning 51-year-old Stephen McNally of Chestnut Road, Dingwall because he had been out of trouble for 12 years.
But she criticised his treatment of the ailing woman, saying: "She was suffering from a cruel and progressive disease which made her vulnerable". She had been told that McNally would also lock her medication for Huntington's Disease away in a safe.
• More court cases from Ross-shire
• Get our newsletter sent direct to you twice a week
Defending, Shahid Latif told the court: "His motivation morphed into criminality. He was trying to protect her but the way he went about it transgressed the legislation. The meds were kept by him because there were occasions they would go missing. His actions about the hair and clothing were well-intentioned."
At an earlier hearing, fiscal depute Pauline Gair told the Court that when she asked him for her medication, sometimes he wouldn't give it when needed. "She would tell him ‘I need my medication’ and he would say he would give her it when he woke up."
Mrs Gair said that McNally, who admitted a campaign of domestic abuse against the woman between January 20, 2020 and March 16, 2021, had been in an on and off relationship for 23 years and it rekindled in July
2019.
She went on: "The complainer was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease at the age of 34 and depended on the accused as her carer. She is now aged 56 and has now moved to a care home to receive round the clock care.
"In February 2021 the complainer's family was contacted by her daughter to tell them that she should be collected from her home address following an argument between her and the accused."
Mrs Gair continued: "Family members talk of her distress when they arrived to collect her from her locus and that she cried all the way to Inverness saying she was grateful to be away from him.
"The complainer gave a statement to police and stated the accused had all her money. He had her bank card and pin number and used it every day and he spent all her money, giving it away to his own family or for his own uses, particularly alcohol.
"She stated she did not see any of the money she received. At this point she was receiving around £1000 per month in benefits. She told the police the accused would tell her what to wear, also coloured her hair, even if she did not like the colour and he cut her hair for her. She stated she told him not to cut it but he still did."
McNally was ordered to wear an electronic tag for the next eight months and was restricted to his home between 8pm and 7am. He was also placed under two years of social work supervision and had a three year long non-harassment order imposed to protect his former partner from him.
