A Fife teenager who left his former friend with brain scarring after punching him twice in an assault over his mum’s baseball cap has been given community service.
Corrin Elder’s assault caused his victim to fall back and strike his head on the ground, leaving him unconscious outside shops in Peploe Drive, Glenrothes, on June 24 last year.
The male was given CPR by a passing off-duty NHS worker when they noticed he had blood coming from his ear and mouth and had stopped breathing.
He sustained multiple fractures to his head and is now more susceptible to seizures as a result of brain scarring, resulting in his driving licence being revoked.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard there had been previous acrimony between the pair about the victim apparently taking Elder’s mother’s expensive baseball cap and trying to sell it online.
The 18-year-old appeared for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to the assault to his victim’s severe injury, permanent impairment and danger of life.
Sentencing reasons
Defence lawyer David Bell said although the level of violence involved was not extreme, the consequences were “significant,” and remorseful Elder “utterly regrets” his victim suffered injuries.
Arguing for a non-custodial sentence, the solicitor highlighted the first offender – then-17 – had “not gone out looking for trouble”.
He said: “I ask the court to view this as an isolated incident”.
Sheriff Robert More told Elder he has to weigh the criminality involved – a two-punch assault – and the consequences for the victim.
Imposing 240 hours of unpaid work, he said: “Having regard to age and capacity for rehabilitation I consider there is an alternative to detention which can be readily identified.”
The sheriff said unpaid work would be “quite onerous” given Elder is in full-time employment in the construction industry, adding: “It’s a direct alternative to a sentence of detention”.
Lasting impact of assault
Prosecutor Ronnie Hay told the court previously the assault victim and his friends had been at Styx nightclub in Glenrothes and were going to a shop to buy alcohol for a party.
Elder arrived by chance and witnesses saw him walk up to the male “without warning” and twice punch him to the face.
Mr Hay continued: “There was an NHS worker who had purchased a takeaway meal and was immediately on the scene and noticed (the victim) had blood coming from his mouth and ear and was not breathing at that point in time and had to perform CPR.
“Thankfully, he was brought back round and then taken away in an ambulance.
“Apparently this altercation revolved around an expensive baseball cap.”
The fiscal depute said the victim was taken to Victoria Hospital but had to be transferred to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary following a CT scan.
A full medical examination identified brain injuries and fractures to the skull, temple and around the eyes.
Surgery was not needed but he was kept in hospital for five days.
The court heard he suffered a seizure a few days after being discharged – the first of his life.
Mr Hay said a neurologist confirmed “this matter has left the complainer impaired”.
The fiscal depute added: “He has got scarring on the brain which means he is now more susceptible to seizures and his driving licence was revoked as a result of that.”
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