Man knocked off bike in Inverness city centre assault
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A man was pulled from his bike and punched repeatedly during an attack in Inverness city centre a court has heard.
Sean Clark (42) of Diriebught Court, Inverness, was convicted after trial at Inverness Sheriff Court of assaulting his victim in Church Street in front of passers-by.
The court heard how he pulled his victim from his bike and punched him repeatedly as he lay on the ground.
Two witnesses – David and Eileen Kelly – had told the court how they had witnessed the terrifying attack while they were on their way home from a family celebration on June 19, 2018.
Clark had denied a charge of assault and lodged a special defence of self defence, but the Kellys said they saw nothing that would support that.
The court heard that the couple intervened in the attack and told Clark that they would film the assault as evidence unless he stopped.
Mr Kelly said that a woman also present at the scene told them: “It’s OK, we know him. He owes us money.”
However, he went to the High Street nearby and summoned police.
The court also heard from a police officer who attended the incident.
He said Clark’s victim was left bleeding from the nose and mouth but was able to be taken home after being cleaned up by ambulance staff.
The victim was now dead, the court was told, but not as a result of the attack.
Sheriff Margaret Neilson heard that Clark had previous convictions for assault.
His solicitor, Duncan Henderson, said the catalyst for the incident appeared to have been that the victim of the assault by Clark had previously assaulted another man.
Sheriff Neilson ordered Clark to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work in the community.
Clark had also previously been fined £200 for failing to appear for an earlier hearing.
