Dad of 11 jailed over Scotland-wide campaign of domestic abuse

A father-of-11 who brutally attacked a woman because he could not find a matching pair of socks has been jailed for 38 months.

At the High Court in Glasgow 42-year-old Nathan Pulman admitted a catalogue of abuse against the 38-year-old woman in Invergordon, Kinloch Rannoch, Inverness, Laurencekirk, Fyvie, Stonehaven, Forres, Elgin and Perth over a 10-year-period.

Judge Lord Matthews told Pulman: “You have pled guilty to a shocking catalogue of domestic abuse.

“Your victim has been physically and psychologically harmed. The best years of her life have been blighted.”

Lord Matthews told Pulman that the sentence would have been much higher, but for the fact he had already been jailed in Wales for offences against the same woman.

He told Pulman: “It is clear it was not same sort of behaviour and the same course of behaviour in both places. The offences in Wales could not be prosecuted here and the offences in Wales could not be prosecuted in Scotland.

“While in prison in Wales you took the opportunity to learn about the error of your ways.”

Prosecutor Bill MacVicar said: “Repeated assaults were committed by the accused on the woman. On some of the occasions she was pregnant. He would call her a whore and a slag.”

The woman described Pulman as a “Jekyll and Hyde” character and said he would regularly accuse her of lying and then become angrier when she denied this and assault her.

After the beatings he would buy her teddy bears and flowers, but after a short period the violence would start up again.

One of the beatings took place in Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin where the woman had been admitted for surgery.

Pulman seized her by the head, hair and body, and slapped, punched, and kicked her during the attacks.

Mr MacVicar added: “She was struck on the head and body with belts shoes, a dog chain, household items and garden implements.

“She was frequently made to stand outdoors in inclement weather, including snow, for lengthy periods of time without adequate clothing. He also hit her while he was driving.

“Serious injuries including broken bones were inflicted and she is left with scars.”

The court heard that on one occasion she was made to sit in snow for a lengthy period while the accused shouted and swore at her. She was eventually let back in to make his evening meal.

Another time Pulman tied a rope to a beam and told her to put her head in the noose he had made and kill herself by stepping off a table. After traumatised her, he then told her not to do it.

When his boots went missing Pulman blamed the woman and slapped her twice across the face and kicked her legs repeatedly.

Mr MacVicar added: “In 2005 at a house in Kinloch Rannoch Mr Pulman began shouting that there was washing to be done. When she tried to pick up the washing he punched and kicked her. One blow caused her nose to bleed and she had to have an operation and spent three days in hospital.

In January 2006 the accused knocked tubes off a seven foot high shelving unit and ordered the woman tto put them back up. She stood on an office chair with wheels and Pulman kicked away the chair.

She broke both wrists in the fall.

On another occasion Pulman lost his temper and threw a mug full force at the woman cutting her nose, left eyelid and left cheekbone.

Pulman admitted assaulting the woman to her permanent disfigurement.

Police Scotland’s Domestic Abuse Task Force carried out a protracted enquiry into Pulman.

Detective Inspector Muriel Fuller from the task force said: "Pulman controlled and offended against his partner and two of his children over a period more than decade, subjecting them to serious and prolonged abuse.

"I would like to commend them for their bravery and for their assistance throughout this enquiry and the subsequent legal proceedings.

"Their courage means that Pulman must now face the consequences of his cruelty.

"His conviction and sentence should send out a clear message that Police Scotland will robustly and sensitively investigate domestic abuse related crime.

"We would like to take this opportunity to reach out to anyone who has experienced or is experiencing domestic abuse.

"Time is no barrier to justice as this case shows.

"It is never too late to make a report to the police or seek support from one of our partner agencies such as Women’s Aid."

His pleas of not guilty to other charges including sexually assaulting the woman were accepted by the Crown.

He also admitted assaulting two children.

Pulman was jailed for nine years in 2013 at Mold Crown Court in Wales for violence against women.