A thug who left his victim with brain damage following a single punch wept as he was jailed for more than two years.
Rory Hunter felled Elliot Reid as he left a nightclub in Stirling city centre last June.
Mr Reid fell and hit his head on the tarmac at Goosecroft Road.
Hunter has a previous conviction for an offence involving a knuckleduster and sentence had been deferred to ascertain if rings worn in the attack had functioned as a similar weapon.
Solicitor Virgil Crawford told the city’s sheriff court Hunter had two rings on each hand.
“The rings were not all on the same hand. They were taken off by him and recovered by police.”
Sheriff Keith O’Mahoney told Hunter: “The assault on Mr Reid was shocking and that would be apparent to any normal person.
”That’s particularly so when you were wearing metal rings.
”Having a pervious conviction for having a knuckleduster, you would have known the potential significance for causing harm by wearing such jewellery.
”The consequences of your assault could have been more tragic than they were, as Mr Reid was in hospital for some time.
”Mr Reid’s life has changed dramatically as a result of your violence.”
Tragic attack
Stirling Sheriff Court had previously heard Mr Reid, 23, had spent the day with a friend at the city’s annual agricultural show.
After going to a nightclub and were returning to their hotel when a car sounded its horn because they were on the road.
Mr Reid responded by shouting at the car and as it passed the occupants – including Hunter – heard a bang as if the vehicle had been struck.
The driver stopped and Hunter got out.
Prosecutor Rachel Hill said: “He punched Mr Reid once to the face, at which Mr Reid immediately fell to the ground and was unconscious.”
He was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he had emergency surgery for bleeding on the brain.
He spent a week on a ventilator and has been left with a permanent five-inch scar on his head and a large “dent” from the surgery.
He still suffers short-term memory issues, although the court heard his recovery is “ongoing, and heading in the right direction”.
Hunter, 23, of Avenue Park, Bridge of Allan, pled guilty to assault to severe injury, permanent impairment, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of life.
Sheriff O’Mahoney jailed him for two years for the assault, and a further eight months for other unrelated offences.
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