A 92-year-old victim of a wooden pole assault said the attack was the first in her 49 years at her address.
Stephen Dyer is facing a lengthy jail term after pleading guilty on indictment to two charges of assault to injury committed on May 8 this year at an address in Union Street, Brechin.
Dyer, 38, a prisoner at HMP Perth, first attacked Lauren Robertson at number 58 – grabbing her by the neck, repeatedly striking her on the head and body with a piece of wood then repeatedly punching her on the head and body.
Prosecutors say she then fell to the ground to her injury.
Dyer then went to the garden of number 18 – where he attempted to hit another individual with a wooden pole – but instead struck 92-year-old Helen Dinnie on the body, again to her injury.
Ms Dinnie said: “This is the first time I’ve had anything like this happen to me in 49 years staying here.
“He just threw the pole and it struck me on the knee.
“I wasn’t badly hurt but it could have been a lot worse – it could have been my face.
“He was drunk – I don’t think he knew what he was doing.”
Ms Dinnie was sitting outside enjoying the sun with a neighbour when Dyer appeared in her back garden.
She added: “The police took one look at my knee and told me to go for an X-ray.
“It had swollen up but luckily nothing was broken.
“I’m just glad he pleaded guilty and I didn’t have to go to court.”
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson submitted a list of Dyer’s previous convictions at Forfar Sheriff Court and said a full narrative of events surrounding the attacks would be given at a later hearing.
His not guilty pleas to a further charge of assault and two of possessing an offensive weapon on the same date and at the same place were accepted by the Crown.
Defence solicitor Michael Boyd said: “He accepts a custodial sentence is inevitable.
“There was a transfer of intent involved in the assault on Ms Dinnie.”
Sheriff Gregor Murray deferred sentence until later this month for social work background reports.
He said: “You are facing a significant custodial sentence.
“The age of the victim is an aggravation.”
Dyer was remanded in custody meantime.
