A Scots mum has told how her controlling ex branded her back with the letter M to prove 'he owned her' in an abusive relationship that lasted seven years.
Vile thug Martin Burns told Amanda McManus, 30, that no one would believe he was abusing her because the majority of the attacks were not physical.
During his reign of terror, the 31-year-old subjected Amanda, from Johnstone, to a torrent of emotional and physical trauma.
Burns was convicted at Paisley Sheriff Court on March 29 after pleading guilty to a charge of abusive behaviour towards his partner or ex-partner under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018.
Amanda told the Record: "He wouldn't let me go out with my friends and he was always checking my phone. He said I didn't need anyone else but him.
"He would constantly accuse me of having affairs with people and was even jealous of my relationship with my dad.
"He told me that no one else would ever want me and that I needed him financially."
Amanda said that as well as trying to prevent her from seeing friends and family, Burns told her she was his property.
She added: "He branded an M into my back using his nails one day. Then he took a photo and started laughing before he said to me 'I told you, I own you'."
Council worker Amanda said the abuse and controlling behaviour continued to escalate, but that Burns would threaten to harm himself if she went to the police, leaving the mum living in fear until she finally found the strength to report him.
She continued: "He kept telling me that if I ever went to the police he would kill himself and he would also say 'no one will believe you'. "
In another incident, Amanda claims Burns touched her inappropriately in front of their children despite her pleas for him to stop as he told her - 'I can do what I want with you, when I want'.
Amanda says her children witnessed numerous incidents of abuse, leaving them traumatised and in need of counselling.
She says it was her concern for them that finally drove her to report Burns to the police.
She said: "One day I woke up and it just clicked.
"My two children have their lives ahead of them and they needed to be protected that.
"What he put us through was absolutely horrific."
Brave Amanda is now encouraging other victims of domestic abuse to report the crime.
She said: "I was scared I wouldn't be believed. "The first thing I actually said to the police officer was 'I know you don't believe me' - but they encouraged me to keep going and to speak out.
"I now want to help other women and children. If you report domestic abuse to the police and stand by it you will get a conviction."
Burns was handed a two-year community payback order and 250-hours of unpaid work.
He was ordered to pay £500 compensation and instructed to take part in the Caledonian Project which is a programme for men convicted of domestic abuse.
Burns, who will be supervised by a criminal justice social worker for 24-months, was also given a 10-year non-harassment order preventing him from contacting Amanda and a five-year non-harassment order for his children.
Detective Chief Superintendent Samantha Faulds, Head of Public Protection, Police Scotland, said: “Our officers and staff are trained to recognise that domestic abuse isn’t always violent or physical. It is often psychological: disempowering and isolating victims and removing them from the support of family and friends, which can have the most devastating impact.
“Recognising, within law, the full range of behaviours used by perpetrators to control, coerce, and instil fear in their victims, has been the single most significant step in our efforts to tackle domestic abuse in Scotland.
"In the last year, we have recorded more than 1700 offences under the Domestic Abuse Scotland Act, covering behaviour that would never previously have been recognised within the law as abusive.
"Responsibility for domestic abuse lies solely with the perpetrator. Perpetrators should understand, we will respond to all reports of domestic abuse.
"We will delve into their histories, we will speak to previous partners, and we will use all of the powers at our disposal to ensure they face the full consequences of their behaviour.”
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