A young Oban man who kicked a former schoolmate in the face as he lay unconscious is facing jail.
David Bruce, 24, of Glenmore Road, appeared at the town’s sheriff court yesterday. He pleaded guilty to assaulting Lorne Gillies to his severe injury by repeatedly punching him on the head, causing him to fall to the ground and kicking him on the head knocking him unconscious.
Mr Gillies suffered a broken jaw and had to have an operation to have a metal plate put in his face following the attack, which took place at a taxi rank in Station Road, Oban, on September 26 last year.
The court heard that the men had known each other from school.
Fiscal Eoin McGinty said: “The complainer was out for the evening with his girlfriend. He describes having a few pints and some Jagermeister but indicated he wouldn’t class himself as drunk, but happy and in a good mood.”
The couple went to the taxi rank around 2.30am and Mr Gillies’ girlfriend crossed the road to use a cash machine.
Mr McGinty said: “A very short time after his girlfriend crossed the road he was approached by the accused. There it immediately followed that the accused punched him repeatedly to the head and face. He fell to the ground where he was again repeatedly punched by the accused.
“Some of the taxi drivers were watching. One said he crouched over him to punch him. He said the accused then stood up and his exact words were, ‘He just did a big swing with his right foot and gave the guy on the ground a massive boot to the face, then he and his girlfriend ran off.'”
The Fiscal added: “As a result of this he has a click in his jaw which is painful.”
Sheriff Ruth Anderson QC told Bruce: “I will call for a criminal justice social work report. Can I make it clear to you that all options are open, but certainly at this stage a period of custody is uppermost in my mind. I don’t want you to go away from here thinking that you are not facing imprisonment.”
Sentence was deferred until October 11.
