Dumbarton man told to get out of bed earlier after being late to court

It was previously heard at Dumbarton Sheriff Court in May this year that Kamal Iqbal's partner suffered a tyrant of abuse for almost two years from April 1, 2019, until March 24, 2021.

Over the period of time, the 22-year-old would control her bank card, restrict her food, lock her inside his house in Dumbarton, utter threats of violence to the victim and threaten to access her bank account. 

He was due to appear for a progress review of his community payback order (CPO) at the town's court on July 11, but missed his hearing and a warrant was issued.

However, he turned up an hour later and his case was recalled. 

During his sentencing hearing in May, procurator fiscal Tiffany Chisholm told the court that the couple met in 2018 and from the beginning of their relationship he would threaten to come to her house with knives to hurt her family.

The young woman left her family home in January 2020 and moved into his home on Cumbrae Crescent South. It was from there he would lock her in the house leaving her inside for long periods of time. 

On January 30, 2020, she expressed that she wanted to go back home and began to pack her belongings. However, in a bid to stop her, Iqbal grabbed her hand and twisted it to the point she thought he was going to break it.

After the assault, he refused to let her seek medical help.

Then less than a week into the first lockdown on March 28, Iqbal, who was 18 time of the offences, appeared to be in an angry mood, so his partner decided to make a video recording due to concerns for her safety.

Upon discovering he was on camera he grabbed her wrists and pinned her down on the bed and struck her with a baseball bat numerous times.

And on one occasion in June 2020, the partner was on the phone in the bedroom where Iqbal was present and he quickly became abusive and shouted at her 'you f****ng b***h'.

During this incident, he punched her twice on the left arm, ended the phone call and kept her phone from her for six days.

It was not long after this that she ended the relationship in July and returned to her family home, however shortly afterwards she received messages from her bank account advising her to change her password.

When she asked him about messages from her bank account and whether he had accessed it he replied 'I don't care I am going to do it anyway'. 

The now-former partner received a Whatsapp message in November 2020 from Iqbal saying 'I hope you die. You used me.'

And on December 5, 2020, he phoned her and made threats towards his now ex-partner and her family as well as stating 'I am going to take my revenge. My revenge is more sweeter right now' and 'I am coming for war'.

It was also heard from Ms Chisholm that from February 12 until February 24, 2021, he called her 215 times. 

At the sentencing hearing in May, he was placed on a community payback order for 18 months under social work supervision and ordered to complete 270 hours.

He was put on a restriction of liberty order for five months which will see him remain in his home from 8pm-6am.

A non-harassment order was also imposed for 10 years to prevent him from contacting his ex-partner.

At his hearing last week, defence solicitor Stephen Maguire explained the reason he was late was due to traffic congestion in Clydebank.

Sheriff Sukhwinder Gill said: "If I can get myself out of my bed and come to Dumbarton for half past eight in the morning you should be able to get here for ten o'clock in the morning.

"As tempting as it is not to recall the warrant I will recall it.

"You are 22. You are young. You are fit and single. So I am somewhat surprised you have done nine hours [of unpaid work]. 

"I want you to do as many hours as you can because if you don't do it and the order comes back to me as a breach I told you the last time what I will do with you because you pleaded guilty to a very serious DASA [Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act] contravention."

The warrant was revoked and a further hearing was set for August this year.