A man who had been the target of three attempted murders in 10 years chased a pub customer down an Invergordon street wielding a knife.
Brian Payne sought safety in a nearby shop as James Russell, 52, from Kingsway Court, Glasgow, tried to stab him after they met in the Silver Dollar Bar on July 21 last year.
Yesterday at Inverness Sheriff Court, Russell, who admitted the offence, was jailed for 12 months.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood said: “I have spent a lot of time at post mortems as a result of people having knives in the street. You were determined in the pursuit of Mr Payne, armed yourself with a significant weapon and came back.”
Sentence had been deferred for a background report after the court heard last month that the pair argued in the bar.
When Russell was asked to leave the premises by a member of staff, he threatened to burn down the building.
He then went outside and met Mr Payne again but Russell was armed with a knife he had taken from his waistband, fiscal depute Robert Weir told the court.
He then chased Mr Payne along the street swinging the knife about in an attempt to strike him with it.
Solicitor Raymond McIlwham said his client, who admitted previous convictions with one for violence, was “no stranger himself to being on the receiving end”.
He added: “He has been the target of three attempted murders in the past 10 years. One in Spain, one six years ago in Glasgow when a car reversed over him and two years ago he was attacked with weapons in his home.
“He grossly over-reacted and placed himself and others at risk of serious harm. But his intention was only to scare, nothing else.
“It is a matter of great regret to him that after a long spell out of trouble, this serious matter puts his liberty at risk.”
