A Leven man was caught wearing bloodstained jeans after he battered a “Good Samaritan” who interrupted an argument with his partner.
Daryl Brand admitted drunkenly attacking his 44-year-old victim on August 1 last year.
Appearing for sentencing at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, 31-year-old Brand was spared imprisonment and ordered to complete unpaid work instead.
The court heard Brand and his partner had been arguing into the early hours of the morning, having come home to Glenlyon Place after a night of drinking, when the other man intervened.
Fiscal Depute Lee-Anne Hannan said: “At the time, the complainer was walking past with a dog and saw the pair were in an argument.
“He has intervened in an effort to diffuse the situation.
“This has infuriated Mr Brand.”
Brand punched Mr Dickson on the head and body repeatedly, leaving him with a 1cm laceration to the left side of his face and a graze on the right side of his head.
Ms Hannan explained police received five separate anonymous calls and raced to the scene, arriving at quarter past midnight.
Officers found Brand on nearby North Street, bleeding from a 2cm cut to his left forearm and wearing bloodstained jeans.
He was taken to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy and subsequently to Dunfermline Police Station, where he told officers: “I seen red. I’ve got a lot going on.”
His solicitor Rebecca Cross labelled the attack “entirely unprovoked”.
“There’s absolutely no justification for what he’s done.
“He was appalled by his behaviour.”
Sentencing
Sheriff Timothy Niven-Smith described the attack as a “sustained assault” which was “wholly unacceptable” and noted Brand has a previous assault conviction.
“He’s very much on the verge of going into custody.
“It’s with great hesitation that I’ve decided not to impose a custodial sentence.
“Make no mistake about it, this is your chance to not go to jail by complying with unpaid work.”
Brand must complete 192 hours of unpaid work in the next year.
