Attacker hit victim on head with hammer several times in Inverness
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A binge-drinker was jailed for 50 months after admitting two brutal attacks and a siege-type incident at his mother's house.
Cameron Ross (26), of Galloway Drive, Inverness broke his friend Connor Bradshaw's jaw and eye socket with two punches after the pair got drunk on June 27, 2020 and fell out in another friend's home in Alness.
The court heard that Mr Bradshaw required a metal plate surgically implanted, after his jaw locked.
On April 24 this year, he and two other men went to a house in Woodlands Brae, Westhill and Ross hit his victim, David Foster, several times on the head with a hammer. Mr Foster's skull was fractured but he did not require surgery.
However, Inverness Sheriff Court heard that Mr Foster was treated for several deep cuts to his head.
The second of the trio, Stephen Stewart (53) of Bruce Gardens, Inverness also admitted possessing a knife at the same incident and was jailed for 14 months, backdated to April 26.
The third man has yet to be dealt with.
Just two days before the April 24 incident, defence solicitor Iain Houston told Sheriff Sara Matheson that Ross fell out with his older brother and went to the family home in Carnarc Crescent feeling depressed.
"He only wanted to hurt himself," Mr Houston said.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir said Ross armed himself with two knives and threatened to stab any police officer who entered the property. He then started stabbing himself on his left arm, causing superficial wounds.
Armed police and negotiators were called and Ross eventually gave himself up peacefully.
But he reacted to police who arrested him, kicked one of them in the groin and shouted, swore and struggled with officers.
Ross admitted a series of charges covering all three incidents, including assaulting Mr Foster to the danger of his life, punching Mr Bradshaw to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment.
He also pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour, resisting arrest, police assault and possessing a hammer.
Mr Houston told the court that Ross wanted everything to be dealt with and to go to jail.
"He has a binge-drinking problem and he says it is a problem only he can tackle.
"He intends to seek help in the prison system to overcome this."
Mr Houston explained that Ross had an ongoing family feud with Mr Foster but cannot remember what caused it.
"There was no life-threatening injury to Mr Foster but what my client did was extremely dangerous," he said.
Regarding the Alness assault, Mr Houston added: "It was a crazy situation where two good friends got hopelessly drunk and horseplay resulted in serious injury.
"They remain friends. But he knows he has to sort himself out or he will do something really serious resulting in a sentence of double figures."
