Wishart. director of construction business Harry J Wishart Ltd, pleaded guilty to a sustained course of “coercive and controlling” domestic abuse against his former partner and his three children, as well as an offence of animal cruelty in relation to an unnamed pet Labrador.
The court heard details from the Procurator Fiscal, describing a “harrowing” pattern of behavior. The offenses took place between 2022 and 2025 and included:
- Abuse of Partner: punched the woman in the head while driving, threw a knife, phone, and broom at her, made derogatory comments, and drove at excessive speeds to terrify her.
- Abuse of Children: beat two of his children with a length of wire, submerged a child’s head in a bucket of water, and locked his children in an unfinished room by blocking the door with a wooden board.
- Animal Cruelty: kicked the family’s pet dog repeatedly and suspended him from a garage roof using a rope. The court heard the unnamed chocolate llabrador was checked by the Scottish SPCA and a vet afterwards and was found to have suffered no physical injuries.
In August 2025, after his arrest, Wishart went to the police station and claimed his wife had been controlling him and stopping him from seeing his family.
He said his children were “always trying to get him in to trouble”.
The prosecutor said that Wishart “seeks to control with fear and aggression” and had ruled a household that was left with an “atmosphere of unremitting anxiety and fear”.
Sheriff Neil Wilson was concerned by Wishart’s social work report, which said he had a “limited acceptance” of his guilt.
But defence agent Tommy Allan said Wishart now fully accepted responsibility for his actions.
He said his client had felt anxious and depressed while moving the family to a new house they were building in Walls – which had been a source of some difficulties.
He also said Wishart was running a business which supported two other families and had been stressed by this.
Allan said Wishart was someone who was being psychologically assessed and who was willing to carry out any form of non-custodial treatment.
He supplied two photos to the court – of Wishart with his children, and Wishart with the dog – and said that this was what his client had lost.
“That is a severe punishment,” he said. “Any further punishment does not need to be custodial.”
Sheriff Wilson strongly disagreed, however, saying that there was no alternative to a jail sentence.
Sentenced – jailed for a total of 28 month; ordered not to approach or contact his former partner or their children for an indefinite period. One-year supervision order after his release from prison. Wishart is banned from owning an animal for a period of 10 years (expires July 2036).