Buckie woman sentenced in Elgin for pushing and punching pregnant victim

A 24-year-old Buckie woman has been sentenced for assaulting a pregnant woman after texting her: “Don’t think being pregnant is going to save you”.

Chloe Mackenzie, of Brodie Avenue, was sentenced on Thursday at Elgin Sheriff Court for the incident in Aberlour on January 5, 2024.

Mackenzie previously pleaded guilty to the assault, in which she pushed the woman and punched her in the head “in the knowledge that she was pregnant”.

The Buckie woman also admitted sending a “threatening text message” around two weeks before the incident, on December 23, 2023.

Fiscal depute David Morton told the court that Mackenzie warned her victim: “Don’t think being pregnant is going to save you”.

Mr Morton added that the message came just “a couple of days” after the 24-year-old sent a text which read “Congratulations, with a baby emoji”, after learning the victim was pregnant.

Solicitor Stephen Carty said the contrasting text messages came after she “certain information came to light” which had “changed the nature of the friendship”.

The court heard this caused Mackenzie to travel to Aberlour to confront the woman at her home.

Mr Carty added that there was “realistically only going to be one outcome.”

At around 8pm on January 5, 2024, the Buckie woman knocked on the victim’s door before the two “exchanged words” in the foyer of the property, Mr Morton said.

He added that Mackenzie pushed the pregnant woman, before landing a “single punch” on her head.

The court head that the “distressed” victim suffered swelling and redness to the side of her face as a result.

Mr Carty added that Mackenzie told him she regretted the assault and wished to apologise.

Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov placed the woman under social work supervision for nine months.