A 46-year-old Inverness man’s “five minutes of madness” resulted in his victim being slashed twice with a Samurai sword in a row over supplying drugs to his son.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that William Williamson, a prisoner at Inverness, burst into a house in Rosehaugh Road on January 26 this year and confronted one of the occupants, Scott Mackenzie.
He was jailed for two years.
Defence solicitor Shahid Latif said his client claimed that Mackenzie was providing cannabis for Williamson’s son.
Sheriff Margaret Neilson was told that Williamson was drunk and repeatedly punched Mackenzie on the face and knocked his glasses off.
Fiscal depute Fiona Murray added: “Then he took a Samurai sword off the wall and started swinging it, striking him twice on the arm.
“Police were called and met Scott Mackenzie at the top of stairs. He was covered in blood and said Williamson had tried to stab him.
“He was taken to accident and emergency where he was treated. He required three stitches to one wound on his left arm and 10 stitches for a second. A wrist injury was glued.”
Sentence had been deferred for a background report to which Mr Latif referred.
He said it disclosed his client had an addiction to either drink or drugs and that he has had “a wasted life.”
Sheriff Neilson noted: “It makes depressing reading.”
Mr Latif went on: “The one constant is his addiction problem. He accepts his behaviour was reckless and thoughtless. It was five minutes of madness.”
Jailing Williamson, who admitted assault to injury, Sheriff Neilson told him: “Only a custodial sentence is appropriate. You have two serious previous convictions, one involving a Samurai sword.”
It was backdated to January 27 when he was taken into custody.
