A TILLICOULTRY man is standing trial this week charged with beating his pregnant girlfriend with a dog chain wrapped around his fist.

The 55-year-old denies the incident and is being tried before a sheriff and jury at Alloa Sheriff Court.

He faces a charge of threatening abusive behaviour and of assault to injury with the incident alleged to have taken part on 5 April 2014 at a property in Alloa.

The charge states that he did repeatedly shout, swear, act in an aggressive and threatening manner, make derogatory remarks to his then partner before placing her and her sister in a state of fear and alarm for their safety.

It is further he alleged that he assaulted his former girlfriend by repeatedly seizing her by the hair and repeatedly punching her on the body and head whilst he had a chain, or similar, wrapped around his hand.

He is then accused of repeatedly attempting to strike her with said chain, before seizing her by the body and pulling her to the ground before repeatedly kicking the pregnant woman on the head and body.

The accused appeared at Alloa Sheriff Court yesterday morning (5 May) and denied the allegations placed against him.

The case then proceeded to trial and a verdict is expected sometime later this week.