A man who bit his partner during sex and told her to "stop being so boring" has been jailed for a sustained campaign of abuse that included attacking her with a hammer and threatening to throw acid in her face.
James Swankie, 30, from Arbroath, admitted engaging in a course of abusive behaviour against the woman in the Angus town between 19 August 2024 and 12 April 2026. He has been jailed for three years and nine months, with a further 12-month period of supervised release imposed to "protect the public" after his release.
Campaign of abuse
Fiscal depute Andrew Brown read an eight-page narrative to Dundee Sheriff Court outlining 21 separate incidents of controlling abuse by Swankie. Brown said: "His record discloses some crimes of violence and a number of domestic convictions involving the same complainer. They have been in an on-off relationship since 2021. It ended in March 2026. As she entered her car, the accused ran after her and sat on the bonnet attempting to stop her from leaving. She drove away when he came off the car."
On another occasion, Swankie grabbed her phone while she was filming him, breaking several fingernails. He called her derogatory names and threatened to kill her dogs if she left him. He also told her: "I will stab you to death. If a [SIC] cross paths with you I will put a blade in your neck, you ugly fat whore bitch."
Biting and threats
After she decided to break up with him on 31 March this year, Swankie turned up drunk and made sexual advances. Brown said: "They ended up having consensual sex, during which the accused bit her on the neck, chest, arms and legs. She confirmed she asked him to stop biting her multiple times, to which he replied 'stop being so boring.' This left a number of bruises over the complainer's body on the areas which were bitten."
Swankie also said: "If I want to kill you I will. I hate you and your friends, you're both rats. I hope your friend gets cancer again." Brown said: "The pair were arguing over the phone whereby the accused then threatened to throw acid over her face. She believed he is capable of carrying out this threat. Whilst standing at a door she rested her hand on the doorframe and the accused intentionally slammed the door on her hand. He continued to stop her leaving by putting both hands on her throat and choking her."
Sentencing
Swankie grabbed her by the hair causing a chunk to come out, repeatedly hit her with a decorating pole, and swung a hammer at her head, which she blocked with her arm. Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith said: "There was a whole variety and catalogue of abusive behaviour against your victim. You put your hands round her throat and threatened to throw acid in her face."
