Scots sex offender jailed for attacking domestic abuse victim after promising to treat her well

A convicted sex offender who repeatedly attacked a domestic abuse victim after promising he would treat her well has been jailed.

James Morrison threatened to stab the woman while armed with a kitchen knife, and attacked her on four different occasions.

A court heard got into a relationship with the woman after she split from a previous abusive partner.

Morrison promised her that his relationship with her would be different.

But the 23-year-old showed her his words were nothing but lies as he attacked her on a number of occasions.

The attacks took place in Ayrshire last year, and Morrison appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, to be sentenced.

He was sentenced to four years and eight months behind bars and made the subject of an extended sentence, which will see him monitored for a further four years.

The High Court in Glasgow heard previously that Morrison had got together with the woman in February 2025.

Prosecutor David Fisken explained: "She had previously been in an abusive relationship. He assured her that he would treat her well."

In August last year the convicted sex offender throttled the woman at a flat in Stevenston, North Ayrshire.

They had planned to watch TV and order a takeaway but they began arguing and Morrison backed her into a corner and started strangling her.

She bit her tongue in the attack, which left it bleeding, and curled up in a ball on the floor after managing to get free from him.

She was left crying and shaking by the attack, which he said he brought to an end as it had reminded him of his mum being left the same way.

He told her he was sorry but went on to attack her again, attempting to smother her with bed covers, causing her to once again curl into a ball.

Another attack took place when he thought she had been "bad mouthing" him on the phone, and he poked her in the eye and punched her in the stomach.

A fourth attack took place following an argument about who would be washing dishes after they'd had dinner.

The court heard a further attack saw him lose the plot when he thought the woman was "bad mouthing" him on the phone.

He pushed her and she pushed him back, before he pinned her against a wall and strangled her.

He then grabbed a kitchen knife and threatened to stab her, before she escaped to a bedroom.

Morrison was convicted last year of smashing up St Matthew's Academy, in Saltcoats, and causing more than £10,000 worth of damage after a late-night break-in.