A motorist has been jailed for driving directly at and striking a man standing in his Forfar front garden.
Darren Lightbody, 33, accelerated towards Lee Tough before fleeing the scene after injuring him in the attack.
Lightbody was originally charged with attempting to murder Mr Tough at the town’s Easterbank on December 6 2021 but the Crown accepted his guilty plea to a reduced charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
On Wednesday, judge Norman McFadyen gave Lightbody a 44-month jail term.
He said if Lightbody had not hadn’t pled guilty, he would have received a sentence of four years.
Garden attack
During earlier proceedings, prosecutor Chris McKenna told the court Mr Tough was outside his property when he became involved in a verbal altercation with men in a Seat Leon driven by Lightbody.
“During this tie 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 Lightbody began to drive the Seat back and forth in front of the address, before rounding a corner.
Mr Tough 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.
It hit the windscreen and bounced away.
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.”
He was pinned by the leg 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.
Sentencing
The injured victim was taken to Ninewells with 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.”
The Seat was later found at a parking area near Lightbody’s then home address in Lordburn Place, Forfar.
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.
On Wednesday, Ms Culross said that her client had taken steps to understand his condition and had taken steps to address his poor mental health.
Lightbody observed proceedings via video link from prison as Ms Culross told the judge: “He has instructed me to thank you for letting him obtain his medication prior to his remand.”
Judge McFadyen also ordered Lightbody to be supervised by the authorities for 12 months following his release from prison.
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