A car driver who drove straight at a man standing in his front garden in Forfar, striking the victim before fleeing, is behind bars.
Darren Lightbody accelerated towards Lee Tough at Easterbank on December 6 2021 in an attack originally treated as attempted murder.
The Crown accepted a guilty plea to a reduced charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Lightbody, 33, has been remanded pending sentencing.
Drove straight at victim
Advocate depute Chris McKenna told the court: “The incident took place in Mr Tough’s front garden, which is located off a public street accessible to pedestrians and motor vehicles.”
The prosecutor said Mr Tough was outside when he became involved in a verbal altercation with men in a Seat Leon driven by Lightbody.
He said: “During this Lee Tough was carrying what appeared to be a large kitchen knife.
“He had the blade facing down the way and shouting ‘I’m gonna kill them’.”
Mr McKenna said that after the altercation Lightbody began to drive the Seat back and forth in front of the address, before driving around a corner.
Mr Tough dropped the knife and began walking in the same direction but then turned and ran back towards his home.
The prosecutor said: “The car reversed towards him quickly and skidded round the corner.”
Mr Tough got behind his fence, picked up the knife and threw it at the car, hitting the windscreen.
The advocate depute said: “The accused then drove straight at Mr Tough, accelerating.
“The car left the road and entered Mr Tough’s front garden before striking him to the rear as he was running away.”
The prosecutor said the attack victim was struck on the leg and pinned between the car and a Land Rover parked in the garden.
Lightbody’s vehicle collided with the Land Rover and damaged a fence.
Mr Tough fell to the ground and Lightbody ran off, while his vehicle was driven away at speed by one of the passengers.
Accused previously banned from driving
The injured victim was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where he was found to have gross swelling to his left calf, cuts to his left knee and a fractured leg.
Mr McKenna said: “He has been left with scarring to the front and back of his left leg as a result of the injuries caused by being struck by the accused’s motor vehicle.”
The Seat was later found at a parking area near Lightbody’s then-home address in Lordburn Place.
He was traced and arrested a few days later.
The court heard Lightbody has previous convictions for motoring offences which resulted in his licence being endorsed, community payback orders imposed and disqualification from driving.
Defence counsel Wendy Culross said the father-of-two suffered from bipolar disorder and was subject to black-outs.
Judge Norman McFayden deferred sentence for the preparation of a background report and remanded Lightbody, who was on bail, in custody.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
