A JEALOUS Dunbar man has been convicted of controlling his then partner’s access to social media and trying to dictate what clothes she wore.

Bradley Wright conducted a course of abusive behaviour against his girlfriend over an 18-month period.

Wright, of Leslie Way, assaulted the woman by grabbing her by the throat and headbutting her during an attack in his bedroom after throwing her on a bed.

Wright also attempted to regulate when the woman could wear make up and banned her from ‘liking’ photos of men on social media platforms.

The 23-year-old admitted the course of abusive behaviour between July 2019 and January this year when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Thursday.

Prosecutor Christine Brownlie told the court that Wright and the woman had been in a relationship after meeting in 2017.

Ms Brownlie said that Wright became angered by his girlfriend buying a dress for her birthday without his “approval” and told her “boys will see you in that, you can’t do that”.

He also called the woman “an absolute slag” for wearing the new outfit.

The court was told that the outburst was “a common feature” in the couple’s relationship and that Wright would “dictate” what his partner could wear and if she was allowed make-up.

The court also heard that if the woman wanted to upload photos to social media then Wright wanted “to give his approval about what content she posted”.

Ms Brownlie said that Wright would regularly go through his partner’s mobile phone when she was sleeping and blocked “certain males” on her social media.

The fiscal added that Wright didn’t allow ‘likes’ on male photos.

The assault took place in Wright’s bedroom in August last year when he grabbed her arms and threw her onto a bed.

He then seized her by the throat and headbutted her before she managed to flee the property and drove home in her car.

The woman broke off the relationship with Wright that month but he repeatedly sent her threatening messages and phoned her.

The court was told that Wright sent one message which said when she “grows up” she would “regret not loving him”, while others included threats to “kill”.

Lawyer James Stewart said that the low “levels of maturity” displayed by his client were “evident in the text messages”.

Mr Stewart said that his client, a first offender with a full-time job, did not wish to have any contact with the woman.

Sheriff Adrian Fraser deferred sentence until January for reports and for Wright to be of good behaviour.