THE police officer sister of an alleged domestic abuse victim has told a court her sibling's spouse 'is a controlling person' who left the woman 'cowering' in fear during years of maltreatment.

Russell Laing, 50, is on trial at Greenock Sheriff Court facing claims that he carried out a campaign of abusive, coercive and controlling behaviour against his estranged wife - who is also a senior police officer - in Inverclyde and elsewhere during their 19-year marriage.

The latest calling of the case on May 23 heard evidence from the complainer's sister, who has served as a PC for almost 20 years.

The witness told the court she is 'very close' with her sister, describing the alleged victim as 'my confidante' and stating they 'spoke about everything'.

The woman said her younger sibling was 'madly, deeply in love' with Laing at the start of their relationship, adding she was 'besotted' with him.

The witness said: "I had never seen her like that in any relationship before. She was head over heels in love."

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However, the woman went on to provide several examples of Laing's alleged mistreatment of her sister which led to her walking out on him in 2019.

The witness explained an occasion in May 2015 when she and her sister, along with other female family members, travelled to Wales for a 'girls' weekend' - only for the accused to invite himself on the trip.

She told the court: "My sister got a call from Russell to say he was planning on coming down for the weekend.

"I sensed that was not what she wanted.

"She didn't want to upset him so she didn't have the heart to say 'I don't want you there'.

"She was awkward once she came off the phone. Her demeanour changed, she was unhappy about being put in that situation."

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Laing joined the group the same night, the court was told, and changed the plans for the rest of their time away.

The witness said: "He controlled the situation and said 'this is happening now'.

"He is a controlling person.

"The dynamics had changed, I felt uncomfortable."

She said: "We stayed in a bar the next day for a couple of hours then went to dinner.

"We had booked a table for six so had to get an extra chair, where I sat.

"I felt like an add-on, like I had just appeared and not been invited.

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"It was an awkward evening, I was annoyed, it just took the whole shine off what should have been our girls' night out for dinner."

The witness spoke of further incidents in the following years when Laing allegedly shouted and swore at family members, threatened to leave the alleged victim, and reacted angrily to innocent conversations.

The woman said her sister became 'distraught, frightened and withdrawn' after years of alleged abuse at the hands of Laing, and on one occasion when the accused 'kicked off' after an argument, she was left 'cowering on the floor of the bathroom' as he 'verbally abused and threatened her'.

As part of her evidence, the woman told the court that Laing 'was supportive initially' when his partner had a significant health diagnosis at the end of 2016, but he then used a critical illness payment she received while off work to pay off a significant gambling debt.

The witness also told the court Laing would react furiously to any mention of other men potentially being involved with her sister, adding: "It was an unwritten rule not to speak about previous partners because he was jealous."

The trial before Sheriff James Varney continues.