Drink and drug party woman strangled

By JOHN ROBERTSON
Published on 04/09/2012 01:32

A WOMAN passed out as an attacker tightened a ligature round her neck, and did not know whether she was dead or dreaming, a court has heard.

Donna Gray, 43, was kicked in the head and punched on the face, but felt nothing.

Andris Feldmanis, 24, admitted assaulting Mrs Gray to the danger of her life in her home in Shawlands, Glasgow, on 3 March. He will be sentenced later this month.

Advocate-depute Arabella Tait said Mrs Gray had bought cheap alcohol previously from Feldmanis, a Latvian, and when he arrived at her door with another man, she thought he was bringing more drink.

All three sat drinking, and sent out for cocaine, which was delivered to the house. They each took some of the drug. However, when Mrs Gray eventually asked the men to leave, and made to switch off music from her iPad, Feldmanis took a cable from the docking station and placed it round her neck.

“Although she tried to prise her fingers under the ligature, it was pulled tighter to prevent her breathing and she passed out, and could not say whether she fell or was lowered to the ground,” said Ms Tait.

“She remembers lying on the kitchen floor with the accused kicking her head and punching her face. She did not feel any pain during this, and thought that she was either dead or dreaming.

“She is unsure how long she was unconscious, but when she awoke the accused had gone.”

Mrs Gray suffered a fractured jaw and extensive bruising.

Liam Ewing, the defence solicitor-advocate, said here had been nothing in the lead-up to the incident to explain it.

“The accused is not able to explain how things took the turn they did … clearly a large quantity of alcohol and drugs had been taken,” he said.