A taxi driver can no longer drive after being left with a fractured skull and permanent double vision in a vicious attack in Dundee.
Ozren Ljevar was kicked on the head and knocked unconscious by James Keith.
The shocking incident unfolded on Yeaman’s Lane after Keith involved himself in a dispute between Mr Ljevar, a woman and a child.
Keith is now behind bars after he admitted causing Mr Ljevar severe injury and permanent impairment.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael told him: “The assault by you was a violent and, as far as I can see, a mindless, gross overreaction to the ongoing situation which involved you kicking the complainer on the head and knocking him unconscious.
“This happened while he was carrying out his job as a taxi driver.
“Even now he has got double vision, no job because he can’t drive and has no sense of taste or smell.
“Only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”
Taxi dispute
Dundee Sheriff Court was told how a woman and a 14-year-old girl had hired a taxi, driven by Mr Ljevar, from Dundee city centre.
They had £3 between them and said they would get the rest of the money once at their destination.
The pair both left the taxi but Mr Ljevar drove alongside them saying: “Give me my money, give me my money.”
The dispute became heated, with nearby residents becoming aware.
Mr Ljevar knocked the child to the ground after snatching her mobile phone from her hand.
She had accused him of being a “paedo” and said she was going to call the police.
At this point 40-year-old Keith, who knew the woman and child, arrived.
Prosecutor Lee Corr told the court: “He ran and kicked the complainer to the head and body, causing him to fall to the ground and knocked him unconscious.
“This was observed by a number of individuals.
“The child’s grandfather approached the complainer and put him in the recovery position.
“The complainer had blood on his top lip and his nose.
“A member of the public called the police.”
When they arrived, was still on the pavement with a “significant” amount of blood on his face.
He was conscious but described as dazed.
Brain injury
Because he was “confused” he attended at Ninewells but was found at a nearby bus stop at around 2.30am.
Mr Ljevar was taken back to hospital after saying he did not know where he was or what had happened to him.
Mr Corr said: “The complainer was sent for a CT scan and was transferred to the neurosurgical ward.
“The CT scan showed that the complainer had a fractured skull with bleeding between the brain and skull and bleeding within the substance of the brain, mostly on the left side.
“He was found to have bruising to his left eye and dried blood around his nose.”
He spent almost a month in hospital and it was later revealed he required speech therapy and was left with permanent double vision.
Imprisoned
Keith, of Burnside Gardens, previously pled guilty to the April 17 2021 assault and returned to court for sentencing following the preparation of a social work report.
Solicitor Ross Donnelly said his client’s only other previous conviction for violence was in 2001 when he was a teenager.
He said: “It seems this was Mr Keith coming upon an incident and acting spontaneously.
“The narrative, which is very fair, indicates the complainer’s behaviour may have potentially played some part in Mr Keith’s understanding of what he was getting involved in.
“There can be no question, however, that he went beyond the realms of anything that may resemble self-defence or defence of a third party.”
Sheriff Carmichael sentenced Keith to 28 months in prison.
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