A MAN has appeared in court charged with holding a woman hostage and seriously assaulting her at his flat in Ayr.

David Scott pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting, abducting and detaining the woman against her will at the property in the town’s Princes Court on February 15, 2023.

The 52-year-old is alleged to have locked the woman in the property and kept the keys to himself, thus detaining her against her will.

He is also accused of repeatedly striking her on the head, of repeatedly taking hold of her by the hair, of dragging her across a room and of repeatedly striking the woman’s head on a window.

The Crown also claims that he threatened the woman with violence, that he presented a knife at her, and that he repeatedly struck and kicked her on the body.

It’s also alleged that he caused the woman to fall and strike a wall, that he pushed and caused her to fall to the floor, and that he seized her neck and compressed it, causing her to have difficulty breathing.

The prosecution’s indictment states the alleged assault was “all to her severe injury and to the danger of her life”, and that his alleged behaviour was aggravated because the complainer was a partner or former partner.

Mr Scott pleaded not guilty during a brief hearing at Ayr Sheriff Court.

Bail was continued and he will return to court to face the charge again at a later date.

All accused persons reported in the Ayr Advertiser are considered innocent unless or until they are later found, or admit to being, guilty.