Expectant Scots father who 'battered pregnant girlfriend killing unborn child' said she had bruises 'because she was clumsy'
dailyrecord.co.ukAn expectant Scots father who is alleged to have "battered" his pregnant girlfriend, killing their unborn child told a jury she had a series of bruises because she was "clumsy".
William Rackstraw, 24, denied assaulting the 25-year-old woman causing their baby daughter to be stillborn when she was 35 weeks pregnant.Rackstraw, from Hawick in the Borders, denied carrying out a series of vicious attacks on the mother during their relationship as well as raping her and two other women.
The mother suffered a placental abruption which starved the otherwise healthy baby of any blood supply, the High Court in Dundee heard.
Rackstraw claimed he had been the only victim of violence during his relationship with his "feisty" partner, when he gave evidence in his defence on Monday.He said he had been left with a black eye when she attacked him during a blazing row and that he had been forced to pin his arms by her side on two other occasions.When he was asked by Advocate Depute Chris Fyffe why other people had reported severe bruising on the woman's body he said she had lost her footing and fallen over.He said: "We both fell down the stairs carrying the shopping in.
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