A Fife man who clubbed his dad over the head with a blue WKD bottle has narrowly been spared imprisonment.
Reece Thomson lost his temper and left dad Lester with a “stellate” laceration, which paramedics initially thought was life-threatening.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard Thomson, from Ross Avenue in Dalgety Bay, had been invited to join his parents at a friend’s home for drinks on July 18 2020.
His mother had brought the 27-year-old a bottle of blue WKD.
Thomson later used the empty alcopop bottle to attack his dad.
The older man had called Thomson, who has a previous conviction for a drug offence, a “junkie f***.”
Victim Mr Thomson Snr was left with a “large gash” on the left side of his head and suffered heavy blood loss.
Others at the property could hear Mr Thomson “wailing” and found him “bleeding badly”, while slouched on the stairs.
Thomson told his father: “You made me so angry that I hit you.”
The bottle did not smash and was later recovered.
Paramedics arrived in the early hours of the morning and rushed Mr Thomson to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.
They initially thought the star-shaped laceration – 6cm by 2cm in size – could have killed him.
At hospital, Mr Thomson had temporary stitches inserted to control the bleeding.
Father asks for clemency
Thomson admitted assaulting his father to his injury at a property in Forth View, Dalgety Bay.
His solicitor Chris Sneddon said: “His father doesn’t want him to go to custody for this.”
Sheriff Charles MacNair QC decided against jailing Thomson and instead issued a restriction of liberty order.
Thomson will be banned from leaving his home between 7pm and 7am for nine months.
The sheriff said: “This was a bad assault, using a weapon, causing severe injury.
“I note your father’s attitude but that is only some mitigation.
“The fact is, you did assault him causing severe injury to him.
“You haven’t been in custody before.
“I’m just prepared to accept that there is an alternative to a custodial sentence.
“Make no mistake, if you breach this, custody will almost inevitably follow.
“In case it escaped your imagination, this is an alternative to custody.”
