A teenager who shattered a young rival’s jaw during a “sickening” assault in Dundee has been ordered to pay his victim £2,000.
Lennon Bruce pummeled the 15-year-old as he lay on the ground, before delivering a final devastating blow to his head as he tried to get back on his feet.
A passing motorist believed Bruce was going to kill the terrified teenager and called out: “You’ll get lifted for that.”
The 18-year-old returned to Perth Sheriff Court for sentencing this week, having previously admitted the assault in Dundee’s Spey Drive on November 16, 2018, when he was just 15.
Sheriff William Wood ordered Bruce to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month supervision order.
He cannot leave his home between 7pm and 7am as part of a four-month restriction of liberty curfew.
And he must pay £2,000 in compensation to his young victim.
‘Vicious’ beating
Sheriff Wood told him: “You come before this court as an adult but this offence was committed when you were very much a child.
“Nevertheless, it was a vicious assault on another child.”
He said: “Given the nature of the injuries inflicted by you, and the sustained nature of the assault, I have been considering whether or not custody is an appropriate disposal.
“But I am satisfied there is an alternative to custody.”
Snapchat warning
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney said there had been a falling out between the victim and one of Bruce’s relatives.
Days before the assault, Bruce messaged the teenager on Snapchat and warned him to stay away from the family member.
The pair spotted each other on Spey Drive at around 5pm on November 16, Mr Sweeney said.
“The accused saw the complainer and crossed the street, grabbed him by the jumper and punched him in the face.
“He continued punching him in the face and the complainer staggered backwards.
“He clipped the pavement kerb and fell over.”
Mr Sweeney said: “A witness who was driving along Spey Drive at the time saw the accused raining punches down on the complainer and she thought to herself that he was going to kill him.
“She stopped her car and tooted her horn in an attempt to distract the accused.”
Kicks to the head
The witness saw the victim – who had not retaliated but was trying to protect his face – fall to the ground.
“The accused was now kicking the complainer in the head,” said Mr Sweeney.
“The driver got out of her car and walked over.
“The accused then started walking away from the complainer, who was lying on the ground.
“But as he tried to sit up, the complainer turned around, walked back and kicked him in the face.
“This caused the complainer’s head to swing back.”
Mr Sweeney said: “The witness was sickened by what she saw.
“She shouted at the accused: ‘You are getting lifted for that’.”
The victim was taken to A&E at Ninewells Hospital, where he was found to have a broken jaw.
Solicitor Ross Donnelly said: “Mr Bruce appreciates this is a very serious matter, involving an injury of some significance.
“I am pleased to see that the complainer appears to have recovered.”
Mr Donnelly added: “He is a young man who is by no means beyond help.”