A north man was jailed for two years yesterday for assaulting a friend with a knife in Inverness after discovering he had lost his dog.
Ian Whiteford, 43, whose address was given in court yesterday as an Inverness prisoner, admitted the charge of repeatedly striking Thomas Hannah on the head with a knife to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Fiscal Roderick Urquhart told Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday that Whiteford was walking his Staffordshire bull terrier when he met Hannah on the morning of Saturday, February 13 this year.
The pair went to friend Richard Slaney’s house at 12 Upper Kessock Street,
Whiteford and Slaney then decided to leave the house, leaving Hannah and possibly another unknown man with the dog – but when they returned the animal was gone.
There was then an altercation between Whiteford and Hannah, and the accused entered the kitchen before returning with a knife.
Mr Urquhart added: “Hannah retreated into the living room where he backed into the far away corner. There, he dropped his head in an attempt to protect himself but felt several strikes to his face and head, one of which he described as a hard hit to the mouth area.
“After a sustained attack the pannel stopped and returned to the kitchen. Hannah heard him shouting, ‘I’m going to put so many holes in you!’ and took the opportunity to run out of the flat.”
Shortly before 1am on Sunday, February 14, two police officers on foot patrol in Church Street encountered Hannah with “obvious facial injuries” and immediately called an ambulance.
Police later searched the property and seized a blood-stained hoodie, and DNA analysis showed that the blood belonged to Hannah.
Sheriff Margaret Neilson backdated Whiteford’s sentence to February 15, when he first appeared in court from custody.
