A MUSSELBURGH man who attacked his partner during a drunken argument has had his liberty restricted as a punishment.

David Couch, 33, grabbed his partner by the hair and dragged her out of his home and into the street when the pair clashed after a night out.

Couch then ripped the terrified woman’s t-shirt off her body and left her in the street screaming for help during the exchange in August 2018.

Concerned neighbours called the police and officers found the woman still outside in an “extremely distressed” condition.

Couch, of Moir Avenue, had admitted the attack on the woman at a previous hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court and he returned for sentencing last week.

Sheriff John Cook placed Couch on an 81-day restriction of liberty order where he must stay within his home address between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

The court previously heard that the couple had been out socialising and had returned to Couch’s home address in the early hours of the morning.

Fiscal Clare Kennedy said: “After arriving home, an argument began between them.

“He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out of the flat. Once outside, he again grabbed hold of her by the t-shirt and ripped the t-shirt from her.

“As a result of this, she was screaming for help. A neighbour overheard the disturbance and called the police.”

Officers then spoke to Couch and he accepted he had carried out the assault.

Couch admitted assaulting the woman by seizing her by the hair, pulling her from the address and seizing her by the clothing at Moir Avenue on August 25, 2018.