August 2026

Domestic abuser jailed after campaign of abuse

A violent domestic abuser who strangled his partner until she lost consciousness, attacked her with a knife and killed her two cats has been jailed for eight years.

Peter Rowantree, originally from the Gorbals in Glasgow, admitted a prolonged campaign of abuse against his partner and former partner that left her with severe injuries and permanent disfigurement.

He was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on 20 August 2026 after pleading guilty to charges covering almost five years of abuse, between February 2020 and November 2024.

Court papers described a catalogue of controlling and violent behaviour.

Rowantree repeatedly shouted, swore and called his victim degrading names. He threatened her with violence, forced her out while she was naked and threatened to burn her mother’s house.

He controlled her finances, phones, social media and communications. He also contacted her family while pretending to be her and asked them for money.

His abuse escalated into serious physical violence. He pulled her hair, punched and kicked her, strangled her until she lost consciousness and attacked her with a knife.

The violence caused severe injury, left her permanently disfigured and endangered her life.

Rowantree also brutally killed his victim’s two cats, an act of savage cruelty that was intended to just make the victim feel sad and upset.

He stole belongings including her phone, money, bank cards and passport.

His conduct reveals the grave danger that domestic abusers can pose to women: using threats and control to isolate a victim, while inflicting violence capable of taking her life.

His victim was subjected to years of fear, cruelty and attacks in a relationship where she should have been safe.

Rowantree is now serving an eight-year prison sentence at HMP Perth.

A restraining order was also put in place