'Bad mood' Camelon dad chucked a chair which struck his pregnant partner on the head

Gary McDonald, 33, had come home from work in a “bad mood” when an argument erupted between him and his partner, who had recently announced she was pregnant with their fifth child.

Blood was running down his partner’s face after the attack, but last Thursday Falkirk Sheriff Court heard the couple were still in a relationship and “very much still in love”.

McDonald had pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman to her injury – throwing a chair which struck her head – at his 8 Glenfuir Street, Camelon home on March 3, 2022.

The attack was narrated in full when McDonald appeared at court last month.

Procurator fiscal depute Rachel Hill said: “It was 5.45pm and the complainer was within the address along with her four children. The accused had returned home from work and was described as being in a bad mood.

"The accused and the complainer argued about various things. The complainer was lying on the couch and asked him not to take his bad mood out on her. He picked up a computer desk chair and threw it.

"The chair has struck the complainer to her right eye. She left the living room with blood running down her face and contacted police to tell them about the incident. The accused told officers ‘I picked up the chair and chucked it – I never meant to hit her, it obviously caught her in the eye’.”

It was stated, at the time of the incident, McDonald had recently found out his partner was pregnant with their fifth child and she was in the “very early stages” of the pregnancy.

At a previous appearance, the court heard, following the attack, McDonald’s partner said she was “extremely fearful of repercussions”. However, last Thursday it was stated McDonald was living as a family with his partner and their five children and his partner was not in favour of a non-harassment order.

Sheriff Alison Michie deferred sentence on McDonald until March 14 for further reports.