A COUNTY chef who shouted and swore at his former partner has been banned from contacting the woman for two years.

Walter Kay, 50, shouted threats of violence towards the woman and damaged household items during an outburst at an address in Dunbar.

Kay admitted calling the woman derogatory names and acting aggressively towards her on April 4 last year.

Kay pleaded guilty to the offence when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court two days after the incident and sentence had been deferred for reports and for Kay to be of good behaviour.

Last week, the court was told that the incident took place following a row over the behaviour of a young relative of the woman and their relationship had become “toxic”.

Lawyer Angela Craig, representing Kay, said her client and the woman had had “no contact” since the bust-up and the couple had “no plans” to resume the relationship.

Sheriff Adrian Fraser acknowledged that Kay had stayed out of trouble since but added that there had to be “some protection in place” for his former partner due to the nature of the incident.

The sheriff imposed a two year non-harassment order effectively banning Kay, of Browns Place, East Linton, from having any contact with the woman.