INVERNESS SHERIFF COURT: Man jailed for pushing woman down steps at party in Elgin
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A MAN who fractured a woman's arm when he pushed her down steps at an Elgin party was jailed for a year.
Patrick Stewart, who lived in homeless accommodation in Union Street, Inverness appeared for sentence before Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald today.
He had previously admitted at Inverness Sheriff Court the assault to severe injury, committed in a house in Kingsmills, Elgin on January 13, 2022.
The court heard that he had been at a party, had been asked to leave by the hostess's mother, and he pushed her down three concrete steps.
He had been remanded in custody since January 14 and had his sentence backdated until then.
The 22-year-old will be released imminently, and will be supervised by social workers for two years.
He will also have to take drug and alcohol treatment and complete 180 hours of unpaid work. These were imposed as punishment after he pleaded guilty to possessing a knife in Inverness's Upper Kessock Street and Huntly Place on May 9, 2021 and breaching his 7pm to 7am bail curfew.
Defence solicitor David Patterson said: "His upbringing has been chaotic and the negative influences on him manifest themselves in these offences.
"However his attitude has changed over the past year. He has stayed alcohol and drug free for some time but he still has a long way to go.
"He didn't go out of his way to cause trouble (at the party). He reacted impulsively.
"My client is disappointed with himself and feels he has let his family down. He realises this will be his last chance if he is allowed his liberty."
