A first offender who stabbed a cagefighter in a New Year fight has been jailed for 22 months.
Sheriff Gregor Murray told Lewis Fyfe it was “wholly unrealistic” to expect anything other than a custodial sentence.
Fyfe, 23, of The Holdings, Tealing, punctured cagefighter James Pattie’s liver with a kitchen knife after an early-morning confrontation in the street.
The keen amateur footballer originally appeared from custody at the beginning of 2014 on petition on a charge alleging he repeatedly stabbed Mr Pattie to the danger of his life.
Fyfe, who works as a plasterer, pleaded guilty at Forfar Sheriff Court to an amended indictment of stabbing Mr Pattie twice on the body to his severe injury.
The incident happened at 3am on January 1 2014 on Callander Drive, Forfar, after Fyfe had gone to a house party to celebrate Hogmanay with his girlfriend.
Solicitor Nick Markowski said his client had never been in trouble previously and wished to publicly apologise for his actions.
“After the bells, at 3am the complainer and his girlfriend arrived and they were very intoxicated,” Mr Markowski said.
“There was a minor incident when they arrived before both girls became involved in a fight.
“Mr Fyfe was hit on the back of the head and that led to a confrontation with the complainer.”
Fyfe was offered outside by Mr Pattie, described by Mr Markowski as an “amateur cagefighter”.
Mr Markowski said his client was fearful because he thought it was “a bit of a mismatch” and grabbed a knife expecting Mr Pattie to run away.
He stood his ground and Fyfe walked towards him and Mr Pattie was stabbed twice in the struggle and suffered a punctured liver.
Mr Markowski said his client accepted that it was “the grace of God” that had prevented Mr Pattie from being more seriously injured.
Mr Pattie was taken to hospital but Mr Markowski said there would be “no long-term lasting effects”.
He said his client was willing “to do anything to not be imprisoned today.”
Sheriff Murray said he took Fyfe’s work ethic and the fact he was a first offender into account.
“But the bottom line is you chose to go into a kitchen,” he said.
“You chose to take a kitchen knife and go out and confront him. It was only by luck that no serious injury was caused.
“It would be wholly unrealistic to impose anything other than a custodial sentence.”