Man jailed for pushing woman from Dunkeld Bridge

A man who tried to murder his former partner by pushing her from a bridge in Perthshire has been jailed for nine years.

Robert Leggat struck Hazel Donaldson on the head with an unknown object before lifting her legs and shoving her from the bridge at the River Tay at Dunkeld.

Ms Donaldson survived the fall but sustained serious injuries.

Leggat was also banned from approaching or contacting his victim for 12 years at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The 45-year-old will also be supervised for three years following his release from jail.

Judge Fiona Tait told Leggat: "It was only good fortune that she landed on the ground and not in the river."

"It was extremely frightening for the complainer and has ongoing physical consequences for her."

Leggat was earlier convicted of attacking and attempting to murder Ms Donaldson on in December 2019.

During the attack he grabbed her hair and put an arm around her neck and pulled her towards the bridge.

She was hit on the head with an object, seized hold of and her legs lifted while she was leaning on the bridge wall and pushed from the bridge, falling to the ground below.

The crime was aggravated by involving the abuse of a partner and by Leggat being on bail at the time.

Defence solicitor advocate Jim Keegan QC told the court that Leggat continued to deny responsibility for the crime which a jury found him guilty of committing.

Mr Keegan said Leggat understood he had to accept the decision of the jury and added: "He also understands that given the seriousness of the current offence of which he was convicted there is absolutely no alternative to a substantial prison sentence."