A SHERIFF shocked a courtroom by referring to the Oscar Pistorius trial upon hearing about a Greenock couple’s domestic dispute.

Sheriff Ruth Anderson, pictured, was told how Paul Gostelow, 31, had shouted abuse at his partner at her home in Prospecthill Court.

After listening to how he had followed her into the bathroom when she tried to escape, the sheriff said: “You can only be thankful he never took a gun in with him.” The throwaway remark was made during a hearing at Greenock Sheriff Court.

A court source who heard the comment said: “I’m surprised it was made, particularly given that the trial it was in reference to is still ongoing.

“Pistorius’ evidence had not even concluded, he was still in the middle of giving it at his trial.

“But it wasn’t said with any malice.” The ongoing Pistorius trial, which has received worldwide media coverage, has heard how the South African Paralympic star shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp four times through a bathroom door at his home.

A woman who was within the court at the time Sheriff Anderson alluded to the case said: “I was taken aback when I heard a sheriff had said that.

“It appears on the face of it to be a pretty crass comment to make.” Gostelow, of Gael Street, was at the court to admit behaving in a threatening manner and repeatedly shouting at the woman on 7 January.

Depute fiscal Lindy Scaife said: “The accused was at her flat and heavily under the influence of drugs.

“He became aggressive towards her, shouting: ‘You never loved me’ and ‘What are you going to do? Phone the polis, you grass’.

“She asked him to leave and went into the bathroom to get away from him. He entered the bathroom and shouted in her face.” The woman had phoned police from a neighbour’s home and officers reported that she had been in a ‘distressed state’.

When Sheriff Anderson made the comment about a gun, defence solicitor Aidan Gallagher replied: “Indeed m’lady.” He said the couple had been arguing at the time.

Gostelow appeared from custody where he is currently serving 80 days for a breach of bail in connection with the incident.

It was stated in court that he has a conviction for assaulting a woman in 2009.

That incident saw him terrify the woman’s toddler son at an address in Greenock’s Lincoln Road, who had pleaded with the thug: ‘please don’t kill my mummy’.

Gostelow is to be sentenced in June.