By Connor Gordon

Copyright dailyrecord

A bigoted businessman who brutally attacked his pregnant partner was jailed on Monday for 38 months. Jonathan Murphy, 35, put a pillow over Michelle Flynn’s face and then choked her in 2017. Murphy also hurled sectarian abuse towards Miss Flynn – who was from Northern Ireland – and called her a “tarrier f***.” Murphy was further violent and abusive to three other woman including his current business partner Donna McMillan. The pair run Electricaire Ltd – an electrical contractor and wholesale firm based in Bellshill, Lanarkshire. During one attack, Miss McMillan believed Murphy was going to kill her and fled to a neighbour’s home in her bare feet. Murphy pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to two charges of assault. He also admitted engaging in a course of conduct which was abusive of a partner ex-partner. Murphy further pleaded guilty to two charges of theft and a single charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner. The charges span between March 2014 and December 2023 at properties in Glasgow as well as Johnstone and Paisley, Renfrewshire. Sheriff Matthew Jackson KC at today’s sentencing placed Murphy under supervision for one year upon his release from prison. The sheriff also granted a 15 year non-harassment order which prohibits his contact with his victim. The court heard that Murphy and Miss Flynn were in an on-off relationship between March 2016 and August 2023. Murphy was initially verbally abusive towards her which included slurs about her weight. Prosecutor Danielle McGuinness added: “Miss Flynn is from Northern Ireland and would refer to her as a tarrier f*** and that he was up to his knees in Fenian blood.” Murphy was first violent in September 2016 when he grabbed Miss Flynn by the wrists and twisted it. In February 2017, Miss Flynn was four months pregnant when she confronted Murphy about a man he knew urinating in their hall. Miss McGuinness said: ” Murphy threw her on a bed and put a pillow over her face. “He thereafter placed both his hands around her neck and compressed. “Miss Flynn struggled to breathe and was wheezing, gasping for breath as she tried to get Murphy off of her.” The victim was left with bruising on the side of her neck as a result of the attack. Murphy was in a relationship with Miss McMillan, 46, between March 2021 and September 2023. His violence towards her included throwing her across a kitchen which caused her to suffer a fractured wrist. In another incident, Murphy returned home late from a night out and shouted about money. Murphy threw her down a landing and later grabbed her by the hair to throw her around a room. Miss McGuinness added: “Miss McMillan was terrified and thought Murphy was going to kill her.” Murphy tailed her to a garage where she hid behind a car before she fled to her neighbour’s home in her bare feet and t-shirt. Her neighbour noted that Miss McMillan had a lump on her head and marks on her arm. A third woman who was in a relationship with Murphy between June 2012 and September 2015 had her bank card stolen by him. Laura Crook noted £1,000 had been taken to purchase a room at a hotel in Loch Lomond. Murphy had attended a hotel with another woman while invited to a wedding and used the cash from the room as well as drinks. Another woman initially had £1,246 taken from her account by then partner Murphy to pay his daughter’s nursery fees. She later noticed £3,130 was spent on her account which Murphy admitted to. The hearing was told that Murphy’s father paid the woman £9,000 to pay money back which was taken. Murphy also slapped the woman during sexual intercourse when she tried to give him a love bite. Miss McGuinness added: ” Murphy admitted that he did this as he was seeing another woman and didn’t want to be marked when he saw her.” Murphy was further violent towards her in February 2020 when he claimed someone was chasing drug money from him, The woman refused to give Murphy cash before he grabbed her by the neck and threw her onto a couch. He then made off with her bank card which was hidden from him in a couch cushion.