'You have to take the rap' – duo punished for Inverness gang attack
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A "long-running dispute" which was to be settled between two men resulted in a gang attacking one of them in an Inverness street almost two years ago.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that the victim was repeatedly punched and kicked on the head and body, even when he was on the ground.
However only two of the group were traced and arrested and they appeared before Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald for sentence.
Jack Mackenzie (22), of Hawthorn Drive, Inverness and Jamie Davidson (29), of Farnack Street, Nairn both admitted assaulting their victim to severe injury whilst acting with others in Southside Road on August 20, 2021.
The court heard previously that their victim had sustained internal bleeding and sentence had been deferred for background reports.
Mackenzie's defence solicitor advocate Clare Russell told the court: "I am not trying to minimise what happened. He has been suffering from unresolved grief after the untimely demise of his grandfather and father.
"He has shown insight into what he did. The complainer went to confront his co-accused and my client was inveigled into a nasty assault."
Davidson's agent David Patterson said: "His offending is underpinned by alcohol misuse and he had consumed a considerable amount. As a result, there was poor decision making.
"There had been a long-standing dispute between the two. But he has distanced himself from alcohol and it has reduced."
Both lawyers asked for a disposal in the community.
Sheriff Macdonald placed them both under two years of social work supervision and required them to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.
She told them: "This is a serious assault and others were involved. But you have to take the rap. If you keep carrying on like this you will be going to jail for a significant period of time."
