Champion kickboxer jailed for attacking girlfriend

Stephen Traynor admitted to engaging in abusive behaviour towards Sandra Nicoll, while appearing before Dundee Sheriff Court

A kickboxer who savagely attacked his partner hours after becoming world champion has been jailed for 18 months.

Stephen Traynor beat up Sandra Nicoll for refusing to come out to celebrate his victory at the 2022 World Kickboxing Championships in Barnsley.

Appearing at Dundee Sheriff Court, Traynor admitted to engaging in abusive behaviour towards Ms Nicoll from 19 August to 22 December 2022.

The court also heard that he repeatedly spat on his partner.

It also heard how he threw objects around their hotel room and tried to force Ms Nicoll to sleep in the bath because he claimed she had "embarrassed" him.

Controlled social media

On a separate incident, while the couple were at a wedding in Dyce, he was said to have become enraged about her speaking to another man at the reception of her hotel and "repeatedly punched her on the face".

The couple had entered into a relationship in 2019 and Ms Nicoll would later describe Traynor as being "physically and mentally abusive."

Traynor controlled his partner's social media and constantly bombarded her with threats to kill himself if she ever left him. The court was told she tried to end the relationship a number of times.

Sheriff Alistair Carmichael jailed Traynor for 18 months and imposed a non-harassment order, banning him from having any contact with his ex-partner for five years.

"Because of the gravity of the offence there's no alternative to custody," he said.