A cocktail of drugs led to a 28-year-old first offender punching his 73-year-old grandmother in the face.
After the attack, Josh Bills, of Anderson Court, Inverness, then had to be taken to hospital and placed in an induced coma on January 31.
Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald was told that Bills, who admitted assault, was now “clean”. She decided against jailing him but imposed 100 hours of unpaid work as an alternative.
She told him: “This was an appalling attack and vicious attack on your grandmother when you had taken numerous drugs.”
Defence solicitor Patrick O’Dea told the court that his client was “suitably ashamed”.
He added: “He wants to apologise to her and will save up and repay the £779 worth of damage he caused to her home.
“He has a lot of hard work to do to repair the harm he has caused to the family.”
At an earlier hearing, the Sheriff was told his grandmother and family had forgiven him.
Fiscal depute Fiona Murray said the assault took place in Hilda Gordon’s home in Oldtown Road in the early hours.
“She was wakened by strange loud noises coming from the living room where her grandson was sleeping. He had been staying there for a few days.
“The bird cage was on the floor and the bird was out. He was behaving very aggressively and when she tried to calm him down he punched her on the face.” Mrs Murray added.
Mrs Gordon sustained a cut and swollen eye.
