A Moray man who knocked a passer-by unconscious in an “unprovoked” assault has been jailed.
Kyle MacKenzie, from Hopeman, grabbed his victim by the neck before repeatedly punching him in the face in Forres.
Despite his friends’ attempts to get him to stop, the 20-year-old continued his attack – eventually breaking Iain Bull’s nose by head-butting him.
Yesterday MacKenzie, who works for a building firm, was jailed at Elgin Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to knocking the man out.
Fiscal Alex Swain revealed the duo were in separate groups of friends who happened to walk towards each other on Grantown Road.
She said: “The accused approached Iain Bull, who felt an impact to the left side of his head, which caused him to lose consciousness.
“The two friends he was with attempted to get the accused off Mr Bull, who regained consciousness a short time later.
“When he came to, he was aware of the accused holding onto him with one hand while punching him to the face with his other, he was also shouting.
“During the course of this his friends shouted ‘Beefy, it isn’t him’ and Mr Bull lost consciousness again.”
Mr Bull was carried home by his friends before an ambulance was called.
Miss Swain revealed the victim required an overnight stay in hospital following the incident, which happened on August 23, 2015.
Defence solicitor Matthew O’Neill said: “Mr MacKenzie had been socialising with friends in Forres town centre and during the course alcohol and other substances had unfortunately been taken.
“He doesn’t recall what happened due to the intoxication. When I reviewed it with him though he was completely shocked at the level of aggression directed towards the complainer.”
Sheriff Chris Dickson described the crime as a serious assault.
He said: “You have committed numerous offences in the last few years. This assault was very serious given it was completely unprovoked on someone you didn’t know.”
MacKenzie, of Moray Street in Hopeman, was jailed for 245 days after admitting assaulting Mr Bull by seizing him by the neck and body, repeatedly punching him on the head and head-butting him to his severe injury.
He was jailed for a further 32 days after admitting behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by shouting and swearing at an address in Cummingston on September 3 this year.
