A lottery winner accused of assaulting his partner was cleared today after prosecutors pulled the charges against him.
Barry Chuwen, 54, was alleged to have attacked Hollie McLeod at her home in Glasgow’s Carmyle on 2nd October 2023.
Chuwen was stated to have pushed Miss McLeod on the ground to her injury.
Another charge claimed that he wrapped his arms around her body and prevented her from getting away from him.
Chuwen was convicted last year of a separate matter at his plush home in Paisley against Miss McLeod.
Chuwen seized Miss Mcleod by the throat and right arm before booting her body.
The dad-of-three was sentenced to 150 hours unpaid work, a year’s supervision and banned from harassing Miss Mcleod for two years.
The former hairdresser scooped £4.6million with then-wife Jenny, 55, in 1997 and blew his fortune on fast cars and property.
Chuwen splashed out on £1.8million home and a property empire after his massive win.
But he was declared bankrupt in 2013 and split from his wife in 2022 after he admitted falling for Miss Mcleod who worked for his firm MQ Estate Agents.
Chuwen stood trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court accused of his latest assault charges against Miss McLeod.
He was also accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by repeatedly shouting and swearing.
Another charge claimed he damaged property by stamping on and throwing a mobile phone.
Miss McLeod’s neighbour Connor Bradley, 24, gave evidence on the first day of the trial.
The project information co-ordinator told the court that he and his partner Leah Walker, 23, heard banging and screaming coming from Miss McLeod’s home which was the flat below theirs.
He stated that the pair heard signs of “distress” and went out to the stairwell to investigate.
Mr Bradley stated: “We heard a voice from downstairs shouting ‘give me my phone, give me my phone back’.
“As went down the stairs we heard a loud crack and heard someone say ‘you threw my f***ing phone’.”
Mr Bradley claimed that he saw Miss McLeod run out towards the bin area.
He said: “She collected what I would see was a mobile phone.”
Prosecutor Leo McGinn asked the witness about her demeaner.
He replied: “Distressed.”
Mr Bradley stated that a man he identified as Chuwen followed her.
He said: “Before I asked if everything is alright, I remember her taking the phone staying low to the ground almost squatting.
“The man was lurched over her trying to get the phone from her – she was clearly in distress trying to get him off her. He had his arms over her.”
Mr McGinn: “Did you see if he made physical contact with her?”
Mr Bradley: “Yes.”
The witness stated that he asked if everything was alright and was told: “Everything is fine” by Chuwen.
Miss McLeod is stated to have said: “Everything is not fine, help me.”
Mr Bradley claimed that Chuwen took the phone and went back inside as did Miss McLeod.
The witness stated that he then phoned the police.
Mr Bradley claimed that he heard some yelling later that night but it quietened down.
Terry Gallanagh, defending, asked the witness if Chuwen was calm throughout the incident and he replied: “Yes.”
He asked if Miss McLeod was inebriated and Mr Bradley stated: “I can’t tell.”
The matter was adjourned until today for Miss McLeod to attend to give evidence which she did not.
Mr McGinn asked for a further adjournment of the case to a later date but this was refused by Sheriff Louise Arrol.
After a brief adjournment Mr McGinn stated: “I formally move to withdraw the libel in respect of all charges.”
Sheriff Arrol then told Chuwen that he was acquitted and was free to leave the dock.