A Dundonian who stamped on an associate’s head and clubbed him with a piece of wood has been told by a sheriff: “We’re always here for you.”
Crack-addled Daniel Allen struck at Elders Court, leaving his victim with a shoe print on his forehead and a laceration paramedics said was too much for them to deal with on the spot.
HMP Perth inmate Allen, 26, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court to admit assaulting Ian Robertson to his severe injury on August 17 last year.
While on bail from Dundee, Perth and Glasgow Sheriff Courts, Allen repeatedly struck Mr Robertson with a piece of wood, then stamped on his head.
Sudden attack
Fiscal depute Trina Sinclair said: “The complainer resided at the locus and had allowed the accused to stay previously.
“At 5.40pm, the complainer was in bed.”
Mr Robertson heard shouting and opened his door to see Allen and another man outside.
Allen was holding a metre-long piece of wood.
He pushed Mr Robertson to the ground and repeatedly struck him on the face and body with the wood.
He then stamped on his face.
Mr Robertson managed to lock himself in his flat and used the intercom to ask the multi’s concierge to call police.
Rushed to hospital
Officers arrived three minutes later.
They found topless Mr Robertson wearing bloodstained jeans, with a four-inch cut on his head dripping blood down his face.
The left side of his face was bruised and an imprint consistent with a shoe mark was visible on his forehead.
His torso was bruised and had marks from the carpet.
Blood was found at the entrance to his flat and in the boiler cupboard.
Paramedics were called and decided the laceration was too much to treat there, so Mr Robertson was rushed to hospital by ambulance.
Around 20 minutes later, police found Allen in the stairway on the fourth floor of the multi.
His reply to police was incoherent and the jumper he was wearing had Mr Robertson’s blood on it.
Crack conversation led to assault
Allen has been behind bars since appearing in court in private the day after the attack.
His solicitor John Boyle said his client lived at Elders Court with his father and had been friendly with Mr Robertson until “some sort of falling out”.
“That appears to be over firstly a dispute about money but also a dispute about certain comments made by Mr Robertson.
“At the time of the offence, Mr Allen was using crack cocaine, he tells me, on a daily basis.
“On the date, him and (the other man) had been abusing crack cocaine.
“Mr Robertson had been a subject of discussion between them.
“At some point in the drug-fuelled discussion a decision was made to attend the locus and the incident then transpires.
“The pieces of wood were in the common close outside Mr Robertson’s address when they arrived there. A decision was made to arm themselves with these pieces of wood.
“It’s clear from what transpired there was to be some sort of confrontation.”
‘We’re always here for you’
Mr Boyle said his client is now drug-free, having spent 11 months in custody.
“He is also seeking assistance from medical practitioners in relation to various mental health difficulties.
“He knows that this is a very serious matter. He knows that custody is inevitable and offers his apologies.”
Sheriff Mungo Bovey jailed Allen for 22 months, backdated, meaning he has effectively already served his time.
He noted Allen has a conviction from 2019 for threatening or abusive behaviour involving a knife.
The sheriff said: “Whether you take advantage of the improvement in your situation that the last 11 months have brought about or whether you’re back here is entirely a matter for you.
“We’re always here for you.”
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
