Surgeon Gets Absolute Discharge After Admitting Threatening His Wife

A top weight loss surgeon who threatened his wife after their marriage fell apart in a confrontation so violent one of their children was sick has walked free from court.
Jamie Young, 39, told his wife Julie he wished she was dead after she announced she was leaving him and pinfaves.com about to move out of their marital home in Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland.

The high-flying doctor, who had carried out 307 operations during the course of 2014/15 at Borders General Hospital, near Melrose, pushed his doctor wife onto their sofa and caused her to scream.
Selkirk Sheriff Court in the Scottish Borders heard the relationship between the pair had become 'sticky' and that Young found it hard 'accepting' that their marriage had broken down.

Jamie Young, 39, (pictured) wished his wife Julie was dead after she told him she was leaving him and about to move out of their marital home in Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland
When Mrs Young told him she was looking for alternative accommodation, Young began shouting at her and said in front of their eight year old son that he wished she was dead, the court heard.
Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser told the court that on another occasion between January and April last year an argument broke out at their home.
He said that the surgeon got hold of his wife Julie - a medical doctor - and there was a struggle between them in front of the two children and one of them was physically sick.
Mr Fraser added that Young pushed his wife down onto a sofa and she was screaming at the time.
Young had already spent four nights in custody after he faced a total of six domestic-related charges dating back three years. 
But shortly before he was due to stand trial, he admitted a single charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.  
The amended charge he admitted included him behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, shouting, saying that he wished his wife was dead, struggling with her and throwing items around their home between January 15 and April 27 last year. 
But Sheriff Kevin Drummond hit out at policy-makers on domestic violence and the 'blind following' in the handling of similar cases which added to the distress of normally law-abiding people.
He went on to take the unusual course of action by granting an absolute discharge, which means it will not count as a criminal conviction. 
The court heard the married couple had been together for 11 years and had two sons aged eight and six. 
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Mr Fraser said: 'The relationship between the Youngs had been fairly sticky for some time.
'They moved to the Borders in 2014 looking for a fresh start in their relationship but unfortunately that did not take place.' 
Mr Fraser explained that when Mrs Young had an income of her own she felt she was able to move out of their home and leave her husband.
He added: 'In January 2015, the relationship came to an end as far as she was concerned and the accused had difficulty in accepting that.
'She intended to move out of the marital home but for a period of three months they still lived in the same house but in separate bedrooms.
The confrontation at their home was witnessed by their two young sons, one of whom was physically sick at what he saw
'It is no surprise there were some tensions.
'She had acquired another house in the same street but she has now put that house on the market and intends to move somewhere else.'
Mr Fraser said there were a number of incidents during the time of the offence. 

He said: 'The accused has accepted his behaviour was not acceptable on these occasions.' 
The couple's eight-year-old son was due to give evidence by videolink until Young changed his plea to guilty.
Not guilty pleas to five other charges dating back to October 2013, when he was alleged to have assaulted his wife by repeatedly kicking her on the body at a house in Auchterarder, Perthshire, were accepted by the Crown.
He had also been initially charged with threatening to kill his wife at their home in Melrose.
Defence lawyer Robert More said his client was a general surgeon at Borders General Hospital, a position he had held for the past three years, with a special interest in weight loss surgery.
He had not been suspended from his job but was signed off on account of the stress which he has felt over the past five months.
The high-flying doctor, who had carried out 307 operations during the course of 2014/15 at Borders General Hospital (pictured), near Melrose, admitted being threatening and abusive towards his doctor wife
Mr More explained the local NHS Trust and the General Medical Council were aware of the case but there had already been a determination that he presents no risk to patient safety and he was anxious to return to work.
Mr More said that the cost of locums during his absence from work had been £150,000.
He explained that he was detained on a Friday evening by police officers which was witnessed by his younger son who again was physically sick.  
Mr More urged that in the circumstances an absolute discharge should be imposed.
He said: 'It is a matter of profound regret to the accused that the events took place in front of his children.' 
Granting the request of an absolute discharge, Sheriff Kevin Drummond was heavily critical of the current policy relating to domestic cases and how they were handled with 'blind following'.
He said the policy added to the distresses encountered by those involved and pointed out in this case an otherwise respectable and law abiding person in the community had spent four nights in custody.
Sheriff Drummond said he expected criticism for his views from those who were most vocal on domestic cases and those who implement the policy.
He said: 'So be it.

That is why we have an independent judiciary.' 
Young declined to comment on the case as he left Selkirk Sheriff Court. 
 

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