A MAN who had been accused of severely assaulting his partner near Nunraw Abbey has been detained under a hospital compulsion order.

James Young was alleged to have assaulted the woman by pressing his thumbs into her eyes, punching her to the head, repeatedly striking her to the head with a pen and dragging her from a car at the Sancta Maria Abbey, near Garvald.

Young, described as a prisoner at HMP Addiewell, was also alleged to have caused a dog unnecessary suffering by leaving it trapped in a car which had descended into a gorge near Bothwell Farm, Duns.

The 31-year-old has been in custody since the events allegedly took place on October 20 last year and he has been assessed by several psychiatrists at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

When the case called at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Monday, Sheriff Robert Fife was told that the Crown was accepting not guilty pleas to all the charges as Young had been deemed as “not criminally responsible” for his actions at the time.

Fiscal Aiden Higgins said that the woman was “profoundly afraid of the accused” and that she did not want “any contact [with Young] in her life”.

Sheriff Fife acknowledged the case had been “a difficult and troubling” one and agreed to acquit Young on all charges. But he did follow the medical advice contained in the reports and detained Young for a six-month assessment under a hospital compulsion order.

A further hearing will be held in October and Sheriff Fife said that he was likely to hand out a lengthy non-harassment order banning Young from approaching or contacting the woman.