Thug used girlfriend as punching bag in Grangemouth horror attack

A vicious offender battered his girlfriend until she was sick and then stood over her as he made her clean up her own vomit.
Terry Shaw appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last ThursdayTerry Shaw appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday
Terry Shaw appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday

Liam Crosbie (25) attacked the 20-year-old – who he had only been going out with for three months – twice in one night after they fell out when friends were visiting.

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard they began to argue in the living room of the woman’s flat in Union Road, Grangemouth, but around 3am moved to bedroom so as not to disturb their friends, who by then were sleeping.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Prosecutor Ruaraidh Ferguson said the argument continued in the bedroom and Crosbie began to punch the woman repeatedly on the legs.

Mr Ferguson said: “He then pinned her on the bed, where she had been sitting, before biting her on the upper left chest. He bit her twice in that same area. While she was pinned on the bed, the accused was continuing to punch her on the arms and legs.

“She was screaming, shouting for him to stop it, and telling him he was hurting her. He then placed both his hands round her neck and compressed her neck. She got the accused off her by putting her hands on his face.

“She got up to leave, but he followed her, seized her forcefully by the arm, and twisted it.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They fell asleep but as soon as they woke up, they started to argue again, and without warning Crosbie punched her on the left side of her face. Her left eyebrow burst open, bleeding, with a three-centimetre laceration, that has left a scar.

Mr Ferguson said: “As a result of being punched, Miss Duncan was sick on the bedroom floor. The accused made her clean it up.”

Their friends awoke and heard shouting from the room – the woman was saying, “I’m not a punching bag”, but the court heard they did not intervene out of fear of repercussions.

The woman later told a friend what had happened, and went to hospital.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As well as the left eyebrow wound, which was closed over with paper stitches, she also had “a variety of bruises” on her forehead, cheek, nose, neck, arms, and legs -- and two abrasions shaped like human bites on her chest.

Crosbie, unemployed, of Glasgow, admitted the assault, aggravated by partner-abuse, to the woman’s injury and disfigurement on March 30.

James Smith, defending, said Crosbie had “difficulties with relationships”.

Imposing a 27 month jail term, Sheriff John Mundy told Crosbie: “The only appropriate disposal is a custodial disposal. I’m sure that’s probably the one you expected.”