Victim's kettle attack nightmares

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A woman who had boiling water poured over her during an attack by an ex-partner has told of having recurring nightmares of the incident.

Raymond Morganti, 42, from Nairn, was jailed for three years and four months at Inverness Sheriff Court after admitting to last December's assault.

Victim Fiona Murray, 34, said she and her eldest daughter received counselling to help them deal with it.

Ms Murray said Morganti committed an "evil and sickening act".

Morganti sneaked into his former partner's home, boiled a kettle and poured the scalding water on her and her boyfriend Christopher Shewan, 44, as they lay in bed, the court had heard earlier.

My daughter came into the room one night and stood by the bed and I couldn't help but scream Fiona MurrayVictim

He also struck Ms Murray with the kettle.

The couple suffered serious burns to their faces and bodies.

Morganti, who admitted charges of assault to severe injury and disfigurement, was sentenced after the case was deferred for background reports.

In a statement released through Northern Constabulary, Ms Murray praised the efforts of the police in securing a conviction.

She said Morganti's actions had severely affected her family and his own.

Ms Murray said: "No sentence will ever be enough for what he has done to me and my family.

"He will be walking the streets in just over two years, probably for good behaviour, but my two daughters and I will be affected by this for the rest of our lives.

"My eldest daughter is not coping well at all and she is about to receive counselling to help her deal with what's happened.

"This was a sickening and evil act. And it's not just our lives he's ruined, it's his own and the lives of his two children."

Cowardly act

She added: "I am receiving counselling every fortnight to help me cope with the nightmares and flashbacks. I am ok during the day, but at night when the lights go out I picture what happened and it traumatises me.

"My daughter came into the room one night and stood by the bed and I couldn't help but scream. That naturally upset her, but it shows how we have all been badly affected by this."

Ch Insp Jim Neil said it had been a cowardly act.

He said: "This was a totally unprovoked attack on two defenceless people. One of the most disturbing aspects of this assault was its premeditated nature."