A 38-year-old man has admitted to assaulting his wife and holding a knife to her throat at their home in Irvine.

Andrew Scott McKenna appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week where he pled guilty to one charge of Assault.

His plea of not guilty to a charge of Breach of the Peace was accepted.
The court heard that at around 9pm on August 7, McKenna was at home in McKinlay Crescent with his teenage daughter and her boyfriend.

Shortly after, McKenna’s wife and the couple’s other teen daughter arrived home following a visit to a relative’s house.

An argument developed and all parties agreed that McKenna’s wife had consumed a lot of alcohol and in some ways was instigating an argument with him.

The court heard that the witnesses had said that McKenna was not under the influence of alcohol.

McKenna’s wife told him that she did not want to be in a relationship with him any more and gave him her wedding ring back.

The argument continued and McKenna went into the kitchen.

He returned with a knife which had a blade on it of 8.5 inches and held it to his wife’s throat.

The 17-year-old boyfriend of McKenna’s daughter pulled him away and McKenna put the knife back into the kitchen.

The court then heard that McKenna’s wife threw a bottle towards her husband which broke against an internal door.

McKenna walked over to her and punched the woman on the chin.
The court heard that she sustained a bruise to her chin and a small cut.

McKenna then left in his van and contacted the police.

Sheriff Alistair Watson deferred sentence on McKenna, who is now living in Western Road, Kilmarnock, in order for reports to be carried out.

The sheriff granted McKenna bail and ordered for a Criminal Justice Social Work Report and a Restriction of Liberty Assessment.

Sheriff Watson told McKenna: “I will allow bail to continue with the condition that you cooperate with the reports.”