Spurned boyfriend from Muir of Ord jailed after unprovoked attack breaks Elgin man’s jaw at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival
A sheriff has jailed a 27-year-old Muir of Ord man for 30 months after an unprovoked attack at a music festival which left the victim in daily fear and pain.
Michael Anderson, of Burns Crescent, had just spoken to his ex-partner at Belladrum on July 29, 2022 after her refusal to rekindle their relationship.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that this led to the innocent bystander suffering a broken jaw as the spurned boyfriend lashed out at a man on his mobile phone near him.
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Anderson's single punch caused significant damage to his victim's mouth which required surgery to insert three metal plates to fuse the same number of fractures.
Last month, victim Adis Delic told Highland News and Media that after at least a dozen appointments were required at the hospital and dentist, his jaw still clicks and will probably never be as it once was.
He added: “It could have been worse. I was completely unprepared and it was a totally free shot, like taking a running swing at one of those punch bag machines you see at a fairground or an arcade.
“If he’d hit me four or five inches higher, on my temple rather than on my jaw, who knows what could have happened.”
In court, fiscal depute Emily Hood told Sheriff Sara Matheson that the casualty lost several teeth, was on a liquid diet for a long period and was off work for five months.
She added: "He was advised that numbness in his jaw may be permanent. He also experiences random pain across the bottom half of his teeth."
Anderson admitted the assault to severe injury and permanent impairment and sentence was previously deferred for a background report.
Ms Hood said the 26-year-old was intoxicated and had been talking to his ex partner just before the attack.
"He became upset that she wouldn't resume their relationship. She got up to walk away and the accused ran towards the man and punched him on the face once."
Defence solicitor Marc Dickson told the court: "He is deeply remorseful at what occurred. He does not have a great recollection of what happened here but that is no excuse.
"He had been at his grandmother's funeral earlier in the day and had been persuaded by his grandfather to go to the festival.
"He believes he was given a substance which may have been MDMA and he had consumed a large quantity of alcohol. He woke up the following day with no knowledge of what happened until he was advised of the incident and that he had participated."
Jailing Anderson, Sheriff Matheson told him it was her public duty to severely deal with such incidents as this committed at a family music event.
"You have two previous convictions for assault causing injury and severe injury,” she said. “This assault was completely unprovoked - and your victim describes it as having filled his days with pain, fear and debilitating anxiety."
