A former Highland teen boxing champion carried out a series of vicious unprovoked attacks against three men, knocking one unconscious and biting another’s ear so badly he has been left permanently disfigured.
But despite the shocking nature of the offences – two of which were carried out while he was on bail for the other assault – Darrell Russell was not sent to prison.
Instead, the 21-year-old, who represented Scotland and had dreams of going to the Olympics, was given a community sentence.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told the first attack occurred in Nairn’s High Street on April 23 2021 when Russell encountered a man he did not know and for no apparent reason repeatedly punched him on the head and body, knocking him to the ground before seizing him by the neck.
Victim repeatedly punched by Darrell Russell
Russell, of Woodlands Park, Westhill, Inverness, then repeatedly kicked and stamped him on the head and body, rendering him unconscious.
The other two assaults took place more than 18 months later, on November 27 2022, in Lombard Street, Inverness, and his victim was again someone he had no issue with.
He also repeatedly punched him on the head and body and repeatedly kicked him on the head and body, while he was on bail for the first attack.
The third came on the same evening in Castle Street at the Sobar pub when he struck his third victim on the body, pushed him to the floor and then bit his ear.
He admitted all three attacks.
Highland boxing champion turned to drink and drugs
His solicitor, Graham Mann pleaded with Sheriff Sara Matheson not to jail his client and referred to the social background report.
He said: “There is no real explanation for these. They were unprovoked incidents of violence. He and other members of his family were having a difficult time.
“He suffered from the loss of a close member of the family and it coincided with the few weeks before the later incidents.
“The coping mechanism for him was drink and drugs. He is now medicated and receiving help.”
Mr Mann asked the sheriff not to impose a custodial sentence and to give Russell a chance.
Sheriff Matheson replied: “The problem is he was on bail at the time from April and then he goes out and does it again. It is serious violence. The whole thing is heartbreaking – his poor parents.”
‘You are a person of promise’
Russell’s mother and another family member were in court to see her decision and the sheriff said she had to take further time to consider her sentence because “it is significant for you and your family’s future”.
When she returned, she stopped short of jailing the athlete but sentenced him to 270 hours of unpaid community work.
She also ordered him to wear an electronic tag for the next 10 months.
Explaining this would confine him to his home between 7pm and 4am, she told him: “It will keep you out of areas of drinking which have got you into trouble and will protect the public.
“It is very possible you could have gone to jail today. But I hope you can get on with your life as you are a person of promise.”
He was also placed under three years of social work supervision.
