A thug has been warned he could be jailed after breaking a man’s jaw so badly he had to have metal plates inserted following a vicious Dingwall bar brawl.
Andrew Urquhart’s victim needed surgery on his jaw, with two plates inserted, after the “devastating” assault at the Hen House Public Bar, where both men had been drinking.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard a “scuffle” broke out at the pub following an argument in which a drink was thrown in Urquhart’s face.
But the 55-year-old then lashed out with a single punch when his victim tried to intervene.
He initially went home but later called an ambulance when his jaw would not stop bleeding.
‘There was provocation here’
Fiscal depute Martina Eastwood told the court: “It had a devastating impact on the complainer, who was unable to regain his balance.”
He was later taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for surgery to have plates inserted in two places to repair the broken jaw.
Urquhart, of Kilmuir Place, Invergordon, admitted a charge of assault to severe injury.
Defence solicitor Matthew Berlow conceded his client had a “bad record for violence” but that things had changed as Urquhart’s health had deteriorated.
He added: “It is accepted that there was provocation here.”
Sheriff Sara Matheson deferred sentence until February 17 for reports.
Urquhart’s bail was continued but Sheriff Matheson warned him of a possible jail sentence, telling him: “Given your record of violence, you should read nothing into that.”
