Edinburgh brute battered girlfriend with a dog bone during a bust-up in their home

William McMahon launched the savage attack on Lisa Ferguson during an argument at her home in Edinburgh earlier this year.

McMahon, 38, punched and elbowed her face before smashing her over the head with the large bone.

The brute then pushed Ms Ferguson on to a bed where he straddled her and restricted her breathing by pinching her nose and grabbing her around the throat.

The terrified victim attempted to flee the property and shout for help but was dragged into the bedroom by McMahon who carried on with the “sustained” attack.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard she was left with blood covering her head and body and suffered cuts to the head and a swollen nose.

McMahon pleaded guilty to assault and breaching a previous non-harassment order when he appeared via a video link from Saughton Prison.

Sheriff Douglas Keir said: “You clearly subjected the complainer to a lengthy and frightening assault and repeatedly prevented her from leaving the room so you could continue with your assault.

“As a result of this sustained attack the complainer sustained injury and great distress.”

McMahon was jailed for a total of 15 months and was handed a five-year non-harassment orderr.

Fiscal depute Clare Kennedy said the couple were at Ms Ferguson’s home and began arguing in the early hours of August 31 this year after she spotted text messages on his phone.

Ms Kennedy said: “Mr McMahon picked up a dog bone from the floor and struck her to the head several times causing injury.

“Mr McMahon then straddled her on the bed and using one hand held her nose and with the other grabbed her throat and restricted her breathing.”

Ms Ferguson managed to break free and ran to the bedroom window to shout for help but she was dragged back in to the room.

The fiscal added: “Mr McMahon then blocked her path to the door as she attempted to leave and repeatedly struck her to the head using his fists and elbows.

The unprovoked attack was only halted when the victim managed to grab the dog bone herself and “struck him with it several times and managed to flee the address”.

A passer-by then came to the injured woman’s aid and who called in the police.

Police were said to have found Ms Ferguson in “a distressed state” and with injuries including “a one-inch laceration to the head, redness to the neck, swollen nose and dried blood over her head and body”.

She was taken to a friend’s nearby home where McMahon later turned up and after she refused to speak with him he “shouted and swore at her”.

McMahon pleaded guilty to assaulting Lisa Ferguson by repeatedly striking her on the head with a bone, sitting astride her, holding her nose, seizing her by the neck and restricting her breathing and preventing her from leaving the property at Alan Breck Gardens, Edinburgh, on August 31 this year.

He also admitted to breaching a previously imposed non-harassment order by staying with her and to shouting and swearing at the woman at Hoseason Gardens, Edinburgh, on the same date.

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