Ex-director of whisky firm found guilty of domestic abuse
Leggat was the former managing director of Cara's family's company Douglas Laing & Co based in the Glasgow's Hillington.
Leggat made current managing director Cara's life hell as their now 12-year marriage broke down.
He repeatedly slapped his estranged partner and later pushed her into a kitchen cabinet which caused her an injury.
Leggat wished his wife dead notably after he was unhappy about a water bottle he received as a birthday present.
He also attempted to stop Cara from seeing her dad - company chairman Fred Laing and mum Catherine Laing, both 74.
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Brave Cara finally reported matters to the police having initially been scared that a conviction would affect Leggat's job prospects.
Unemployed Leggat now faces a custodial sentence after he was found guilty of engaging in a course of behaviour which was abusive to his partner or ex-partner.
Sheriff Allan McKay said: "I was presented with a stark difference in recall between you and your wife.
"Simply put, I had a decision to make about who I believed and that was straight forward for me.
"I will simply say that I found Miss Laing to be a compelling witness and believed what she told me.
"I don't accept your version of events - much of what you said was self serving and I am not prepared to give it any weight."
The Glasgow Sheriff Court trial heard that Leggat and Cara were married in 2013 and worked together at the firm.
Glasgow Sheriff Court (Image: Newsquest)
Cara stated to the court that between September and November 2022 was "the worst time of my life" and took a panic attack.
She recalled that in October 2022 she had made a re-heated sausage casserole dinner for the pair.
Leggat told her to serve a "better looking meal" which he said was suitable for a child and called her names.
The next incident took place in January 2023 as a result of Leggat's birthday plans.
She said: "He was most aggrieved and disappointed at a lack of effort to mark his birthday in terms of a meal out.
"He also didn't rate his presents which included a sports water bottle that I bought him."
The water bottle - said to have been made famous on TikTok - was deemed "childish and ridiculous" by Leggat.
Leggat is then told Cara: "I hope you die in your sleep."
The witness added that Leggat apologised to her for the remark and claimed it was "a bit of banter."
The pair were given hospitality tickets to Hampden Park in February 2023 for an Old Firm League Cup Final clash.
Cara stated that when they walked home after the match and she was pushed into a bush by Leggat.
She said: "I ended up in a bush or my back against a bush as a result of the force as a result of the slap to my face."
When asked how she felt about the incident, Cara replied that it was "upsetting."
Leggat "discouraged" Cara to see her parents which also included a curfew which made her "twitch" when it was close.
Prosecutor Siobhan Currie said in her closing submissions: "Ultimately, there was a pattern of behaviour to isolate her."
Leggat was lastly violent towards her in November 2024 at the family home in the city's Pollokshields.
Leggat slapped her on the forehead and pushed her into a kitchen cabinet which resulted in a thigh injury.
Cara told the court that she called her mother and father after the incident and Fred attended their home.
The court heard that Fred confronted Leggat and "grabbed him by the scruff of the neck."
Fred then got his daughter to contact the police which led to Leggat's arrest later that night.
Miss Currie asked Cara why she did not contact the police on an earlier occasion.
She replied: "I knew he wanted to stay in the Scottish whisky industry.
"From my knowledge he would find it hard to get into the USA and Singapore which are key places in the industry.
"I didn't want the man not to get an international job."
Leggat, now of Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, told the court in his evidence that he left the company in 2023 with Cara taking over his role.
He stated that he did not complain about his birthday plans and refuted allegations that he told Cara that he wanted her to die.
Leggat also denied slapping Cara after the Old Firm game but accepted that he may have caught her on the chin or chest while expressing himself in conversation.
He said: "She did not fall into a bush - we were walking beside a bush."
Leggat claimed that Cara "prodded" him 10 times before her father arrived at their home in November 2024.
He stated that he did not grab his wife and push her against the kitchen cabinet.
Sentence was deferred pending background reports until August and Leggat was granted bail meantime.
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Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Ex-director of whisky firm found guilty of domestic abuse
Christopher Leggat, 44, verbally and violently abused the woman between September 2022 and November 2024. Leggat was the former managing director of her family's company Douglas Laing & Co based in the Glasgow's Hillington. Leggat made her life hell as their now 12-year marriage broke down. He repeatedly slapped his estranged partner and later pushed her into a kitchen cabinet which caused her an injury. Leggat wished his wife dead notably after he was unhappy about a water bottle he received as a birthday present. He also attempted to stop the woman from seeing her dad. READ MORE: Former Catholic priest admits repeated abuse of boy more than 40 years ago READ MORE: Serious organised crime unit cop sentenced for sexually assaulting colleagues on duty The brave finally reported matters to the police having initially been scared that a conviction would affect Leggat's job prospects. Unemployed Leggat now faces a custodial sentence after he was found guilty of engaging in a course of behaviour which was abusive to his partner or ex-partner. Sheriff Allan McKay said: "I was presented with a stark difference in recall between you and your wife. "Simply put, I had a decision to make about who I believed and that was straight forward for me. "I will simply say that I found (the woman) to be a compelling witness and believed what she told me. "I don't accept your version of events - much of what you said was self serving and I am not prepared to give it any weight." The Glasgow Sheriff Court trial heard that Leggat and the woman were married in 2013 and worked together at the firm. Glasgow Sheriff Court (Image: Newsquest) She stated to the court that between September and November 2022 was "the worst time of my life" and she took a panic attack. She recalled that in October 2022 she had made a re-heated sausage casserole dinner for the pair. Leggat told her to serve a "better looking meal" which he said was suitable for a child and called her names. The next incident took place in January 2023 as a result of Leggat's birthday plans. She said: "He was most aggrieved and disappointed at a lack of effort to mark his birthday in terms of a meal out. "He also didn't rate his presents which included a sports water bottle that I bought him." The water bottle - said to have been made famous on TikTok - was deemed "childish and ridiculous" by Leggat. Leggat is then told the woman: "I hope you die in your sleep." The witness added that Leggat apologised to her for the remark and claimed it was "a bit of banter." The pair were given hospitality tickets to Hampden Park in February 2023 for an Old Firm League Cup Final clash. She stated that when they walked home after the match and she was pushed into a bush by Leggat. She said: "I ended up in a bush or my back against a bush as a result of the force as a result of the slap to my face." When asked how she felt about the incident, she replied that it was "upsetting." Leggat "discouraged" the woman to see her parents which also included a curfew which made her "twitch" when it was close. Prosecutor Siobhan Currie said in her closing submissions: "Ultimately, there was a pattern of behaviour to isolate her." Leggat was lastly violent towards her in November 2024 at the family home in the city's Pollokshields. Leggat slapped her on the forehead and pushed her into a kitchen cabinet which resulted in a thigh injury. She told the court that she called her mother and father after the incident and her father attended their home. The court heard that he confronted Leggat and "grabbed him by the scruff of the neck." He then got his daughter to contact the police which led to Leggat's arrest later that night. Miss Currie asked Cara why she did not contact the police on an earlier occasion. She replied: "I knew he wanted to stay in the Scottish whisky industry. "From my knowledge he would find it hard to get into the USA and Singapore which are key places in the industry. "I didn't want the man not to get an international job." Leggat, now of Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, told the court in his evidence that he left the company in 2023 with the woman taking over his role. He stated that he did not complain about his birthday plans and refuted allegations that he told her that he wanted her to die. Leggat also denied slapping the woman after the Old Firm game but accepted that he may have caught her on the chin or chest while expressing himself in conversation. He said: "She did not fall into a bush - we were walking beside a bush." Leggat claimed that the woman "prodded" him 10 times before her father arrived at their home in November 2024. He stated that he did not grab his wife and push her against the kitchen cabinet. Sentence was deferred pending background reports until August and Leggat was granted bail meantime.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Woman sunbathing in her back garden is subjected to sexist jeers and comments by primary school children after they scale her fence to harass her
Primary school children aged as young as eight shouted 'get your t**s out' and 'suck my d**k' over the fence at a young woman sunbathing in her own garden. Hollie Hardy, 26, of Wickford, Essex, was wearing a bikini in her garden which backs onto the school when a group of pupils climbed up the fence and spotted her. The children, thought to be aged between eight and 11 years old, then launched a tirade of sexual remarks after one of them was heard to say: 'Oh there's a sexy lady.' They shouted phrases including 'get your m***e out', 'bend over', 'I'll take you home', 'suck my corey', 'suck my d**k' and 'get your t**s out' while making sexual noises. The business development manager, who has lived at her home for 11 years, said she was shocked by the abuse and started to record it - later posting a clip on TikTok. An off-duty Metropolitan Police officer, who is one of her neighbours, heard what was happening and quickly raised the alarm with a nearby adult from the school. Miss Hardy received a written apology via email, but said the incident showed a wider issue of young boys being exposed to misogynistic and sexually explicit content. She was left shocked by the graphic nature of the remarks last Wednesday – and her TikTok video, which did not show the children, has now received 500,000 views. Miss Hardy, who had wanted to top up her tan by sunbathing after returning from holiday, said: 'It is worrying to think they're losing their innocence so young. 'You have to think - how are they learning this stuff and what kind of people will they grow up to be? How are they going to speak to women in ten years' time?' She said she sometimes had footballs land in her garden but had never had any behaviour as bad as the comments. Explaining what happened, Miss Hardy said: 'A football came over into the neighbour's garden and the one of the children pulled themselves up over the school's fence. 'He said 'Oh there's a sexy lady' and it just escalated from there. They started saying 'get your m***e out' and 'get your t**s out'. 'I sat up in my chair and I thought 'hang on a minute they're talking to me'. I didn't want to interact with them, or look at them, because I know children find these things funny so I went on my phone. 'My neighbour, who is an off duty police officer, heard it going on. He flashed his badge at the children and they ran off.' The neighbour then flagged down a nearby adult from the school and raised the situation - explaining that it was sexual harassment. The woman, who identified herself as a safeguarding officer, said she would speak to the children - but they then came back. Miss Hardy, who was wearing a bandeau bikini, said: 'They said things like 'suck my corey', 'suck my d**k', 'bend over' and 'I'll take you home'. Another child was making sex noises. 'I decided to film it and it felt like it went on forever. They kept running away and coming back. Eventually, during a gap when they'd left, I ran inside and went to the school myself.' She said she showed staff the video who were 'appalled' and promised to speak with those involved. She also received a written apology via email. But Miss Hardy said the incident was a symptomatic of a wider issue. She explained: 'I have a niece who will be starting school soon and I'm worried about what boys are saying to little girls. From the video, most people are absolutely appalled by this behaviour and think it is disgusting. 'But some people say that this happened 30 years ago too and this is just how children speak. A tiny minority have said 'can you blame a boy for being attracted to a woman?' 'I don't blame the school and I don't blame the parents. But as a society, we've got TikTok and video games, and I think people need to be more aware of what children are being allowed to see. It's just not acceptable.' A spokesperson for the school, which has not been named, said: 'The behaviour in this isolated incident goes against our values of mutual respect, both within our school and the wider community. 'As soon as we were made aware of the situation, we immediately investigated and took appropriate action. We will be speaking with all pupils to reiterate with them the standards we set for all those within our school.' It comes after a headteachers' union chief said last month that school leaders were having to deal with the consequences of toxic masculinity and online radicalisation every day. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders' union, called for politicians, families and school staff to work together to stop a generation of boys 'disappearing into a vortex of hatred and lies'. In a speech, Mr Whiteman highlighted television drama Adolescence which has prompted a national conversation about misogyny and online safety. He warned that technology can 'isolate and divide' and create 'dangerous spaces' for children trying to find their identity in the world.
Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
Seagull leaves it mark all over topless Brit relaxing in Costa Del Sol
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