Ayr man jailed after abducting and assaulting woman at flat

An Ayr man who attacked a woman and threatened to “skin her alive” has been jailed for four and a half years.

Arthur Tait left Lynsay Cooper so terrified she tried to smash a window to get help.

The 36 year-old also poured cooking oil over his victim while being held in his flat.

Her ordeal only ended when passing police heard the 35 year-old's desperate screams.

Tait has been locked up having earlier admitted abducting and assaulting the woman to her injury in July this year.

Lord Burns also ordered the thug to be monitored for eight years on his release.

The judge told him: “You pushed and throttled her to the extent her breathing was restricted – all over a long period of time.”

The attack happened at Tait's flat in Ayr, South Ayrshire.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Miss Cooper had stayed overnight there before visit a friend.

But, Tait turned up demanding she “get her f***ing stuff” from his home.

Miss Cooper reluctantly agreed – it was at the flat Tait then pounced and started punching the woman.

He then got a frying pan containing leftover cooking oil and threw it over her.

Prosecutor Martin Richardson QC said Tait branded her “a w***e” and “threatened to skin her alive”.

The victim fled to the bathroom and then used a razor to cut her arm hoping Tait would let her leave to go to hospital.

But, Mr Richardson said: “He grabbed her and told her she was not going anywhere.”

Miss Cooper ended up using a toothbrush holder to smash a window to yell for help.

As Tait landed more blows, passing police heard the woman's cries.

When they turned up, Mr Richardson explained: “Arthur Tait said Miss Cooper had attacked him.”

This was despite the victim lying in the flat “covered in blood”. Tait was arrested, but insisted it was “lies”.

He went on to be abusive to police and security staff at court the next day.

Tait made a “slashing” gesture at one guard while yelling: “I am going to get you and your family. I will stalk you.

“You don't know what I am capable of.”

Tait also pled guilty last month to acting in a threatening and abusive manner in connection with this incident.

It emerged he was jailed for six years in 2006 for terrorising an ex-partner including setting fire to her leg