Man, 21, who repeatedly assaulted woman in Inverness jailed

A man who repeatedly assaulted a woman in Inverness has been jailed for four years.

Connor Stewart "swore on his mother's life" he would not hurt the woman before pushing her into a bedroom and attacking her during one of the incidents, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.

The 21-year-old, from Inverness, was jailed after earlier pleading guilty to threatening behaviour and physical abuse.

Judge Norman McFadyen KC told Stewart he had a "shocking criminal record" and said he would have to send him to prison.

An earlier hearing was told that during another assault, Stewart put one of his arms around the woman's neck and covered her mouth and nose with a hand.

In another incident, he shouted at the woman about rape and how he had been charged with the offence.

The judge also ordered that Stewart should be under supervision in the community for a further three years when he will be on licence.

He also made a non-harassment order prohibiting Stewart, who followed the sentencing proceedings via a TV link to jail, from contacting or attempting to contact the victim for an indeterminate period

Defence solicitor advocate Shahid Latif said his client had expressed a desire to rehabilitate himself.

He added: "It is clear he is an individual who, as an adolescent, did lose his way.

"That is manifested in the previous convictions that are before the court.

"Now, as a young man, he has come to realise he must take responsibility for his own behaviour. He is amenable to change."

Latif said Stewart wanted to apologise for the impact of his behaviour on his victim.

The solicitor advocate said: "This conviction is in every sense a crossroads for him. He has embarked on the road to rehabilitation."

Passing sentence, judge McFadyen told Stewart: "For a young man who is still only 21 you have a shocking criminal record."