Schoolgirl injured by jilted Nairn salesman

A NAIRN man landed in court after a split with his former girlfriend.

Vincent Spandenberg (48) of Society Street, Nairn, admitted assaulting a 10-year-old girl by pushing her from a stationary car at a school bus stop.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard the incident happened on November 23. He also admitted sending text messages between January 9 and 17 this year of an indecent, obscene and menacing character to his former partner and repeatedly making abusive and menacing remarks and threatening violence.

The court heard a playground assistant noticed the child who had been dropped by Spandenberg was limping in the playground and had a swollen ankle.

He later apologised to his partner for what had happened, left the family home and moved away.

John McColl, solicitor, said Spandenberg was a single man and worked as a salesman.

The couple had been in a relationship for five years and he was heartbroken when his partner started a relationship with another man. He said he pushed the child from the car with no great force.

He added: "He felt betrayed by the woman he loved with and supported financially for five years. He is of entirely good character. But in the police interview he accepts his culpability for what he has pleaded to."

Sheriff Margaret Neilson deferred sentence for six months for good behaviour.

Spandenberg will appear in court again on November 10.