A Dundee man who left his victim, a complete stranger, needing screws to fix his jaw after an attack outside a pub, has been jailed for two years.
Peter Kelly stood trial at Forfar Sheriff Court and was found guilty of the serious attack outside Benson’s Bar on Arbroath Road.
At the time of the attack on November 26 in 2023, rough-caster Kelly – who also punched another man to the ground that night – was supposed to be at home adhering to a strict bail curfew.
Kelly, who since the attack has been jailed for an assault at Dundee’s Arctic Bar, was locked up again, receiving a two year sentence following the jury’s verdict.
Facial fix
The trial heard the 38-year-old’s victim, stranger Paul Malone, attended Ninewells and was referred to the oral and maxillofacial department for surgery.
X-rays revealed he had suffered a fracture to his lower jaw and he was kept in overnight to have plates and screws fitted.
When Kelly was charged, he told police: “I have two witnesses to prove I was in my home address.”
The majority of jurors convicted HMP Perth inmate Kelly of assaulting Mr Malone on Arbroath Road by punching him on the head, leaving him severely injured and permanently impaired.
They also convicted him of punching to the ground an unknown male patron inside the busy bar and acting in a threatening or abusive manner acting aggressively, gesticulating and remonstrating.
The jury also agreed Kelly had breached a 7pm to 7am bail curfew during the night-time assaults.
Other trials
Prosecutor Sarah Wilkinson explained Kelly has been on remand since January 11 last year.
She added that shortly after being remanded, he was convicted at Dundee Sheriff Court of a similar assault on a stranger at the city’s Arctic Bar, for which he was jailed for 14 months.
The court heard a trial began in December in relation to the Benson’s Bar assaults in December but collapsed due to a breakdown between Kelly and his previous lawyer.
Solicitor Jane Caird said: “He does have a significant record. He accepts the verdict of the jury.
“He does have several convictions that are analogous to this one.”
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown jailed Kelly for two years, backdated to last January.
She said: “I’m satisfied that a custodial sentence would be appropriate.”
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