Sheriff spares a man a jail term at Inverness Sheriff Court following a serious assault in Nairn
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A man's single punch knocked his victim unconscious and left him needing surgery Inverness Sheriff Court heard.
The court heard the man needed treatment to fractures to his jaws, cheekbone and eye socket after the attack which caused him to fall forwards on to the roadway in Nairn's High Street.
His tongue also had to be stitched and he has been left with titanium plates in his face.
Sentence had been deferred for reports on Breathet (36), of Milton of Kilravock, after he admitted punching the man on March 22 last year.
At an earlier hearing, Inverness Sheriff Court heard Breathet and his victim had both been out separately that night.
At about 2.30am Breathet’s victim was arguing with another male before a woman became involved.
Breathet then approached and punched the man.
Defence solicitor Marc Dickson said Breathet had intervened to try and separate the two men.
“His involvement was initially well intentioned but went considerably beyond that,” he said.
Sheriff Chris Dickson told Breathet: “I accept it was a single punch. But a single punch can have fatal consequences.”
He said he was “just persuaded” that a non-custodial sentence could be imposed.
He ordered Breathet to pay his victim £3500 compensation and said he would be electronically tagged for two years.
A curfew to run daily from 8pm to 5am was imposed for a period of 135 days.
Breathet was also ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.
