Edinburgh man accused of battering wife on wedding night walks free from court

Edinburgh Sheriff Court. Picture: Ian Georgeson/TSPL

Andrew Hunter was alleged to have attacked new wife Gillian by stubbing out cigarettes on her chest just hours after the pair got hitched in Edinburgh.

Hunter, 60, was also said to have threatened to shoot his bride with a nail gun during the alleged assault in 2008.

Gillian Hunter claimed her husband had carried out numerous attacks on her - including smashing her head off a concrete floor - over the course of the couple’s ten-year relationship.

Hunter had also been alleged to have attacked previous partner Margaret Martin by head butting her to the face in 2004.

Hunter denied the allegations and stood trial on a summary complaint at Edinburgh Sheriff Court this week.

But following all the evidence, Sheriff Adrian Cottam found the charges against Hunter had not been proved by the Crown, and the accused was acquitted on the two assault charges.

Sheriff Cottam said he found Ms Martin’s evidence to be “credible” but had difficulties with the evidence given by Mrs Hunter.

The sheriff said he made his decision to acquit due to there being no medical evidence backing up Mrs Hunter’s account and that there had no police involvement on many of the occasions she claimed she was attacked by her husband.

Previously the court was told Hunter had attacked his wife after claiming she had been flirting with one of his pals at the wedding reception.

Mrs Hunter, 56, said on the couple’s wedding night her husband had held her down on the bed and stubbed out lit cigarettes on her chest.

She also told the court she had suffered numerous attacks by Hunter over the years, including being thrown out of her home naked on several occasions.

Hunter, from Redbraes, Edinburgh was acquitted of assaulting Gillian Hunter at various locations between May 1, 2008 and April 30, 2017 after the charge was found to be not proven.

The charge of assaulting Margaret Martin, 56, at an address in Edinburgh on December 19, 2004 was also found to be not proven.

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