Inverness man who caused brain damage with punch walks free

AN apprentice who punched a landscape gardener, leaving him with a serious brain injury, has walked free from court after a jury found the case against him not proven.

Joshua Jack punched Colin Tucker near the car park entrance to Morrisons supermarket after a night out in Inverness on April 10 last year.

Mr Tucker suffered devastating injuries as a result of the single blow and is unlikely to fully recover.

The incident cost him his business as a landscape gardener as he still cannot walk, talk, see or eat properly.

Jack, a plumbing and heating engineer from Highfield Avenue in Inverness, was charged with assaulting Mr Tucker to his severe injury and danger of life but lodged a special plea of self defence.

It took the jury just over two hours to find the case against the 21-year-old not proven.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard how Jack had got out of a car to confront Mr Tucker, who allegedly threw a cigarette into the back seat of Jack's girlfriend's car. It followed an earlier incident where Jack's friend pretended to squeeze Mr Tucker's bum as he stood waiting for a taxi, leaning over the railings on Millburn Road.

Mr Tucker was not well enough to give evidence in court himself.

For the full story, see tomorrow's Highland News.

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