A Dundee ‘Good Samaritan’ who waded into a skirmish in which three other people were engaged left one unconscious and needing a metal plate fitted in his leg.
Peter McLean was finally sentenced for seriously assaulting Jordan Dandie in 2021.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard McLean had initially tried to play the peacemaker when his friend, that friend’s sister and her partner – Mr Dandie – became involved in a scuffle on Balunie Drive in the small hours of the morning.
However, he punched Mr Dandie’s head off a car and hit him again when he was on the ground, knocking him out and leaving him needing surgery.
Waded in
At an earlier court hearing, fiscal depute Laura Bruce explained McLean had been out with a friend, whose sister he called at 2.15am.
She offered to pick them up and she and Mr Dandie drove to Balunie Drive.
Mr Dandie approached his partner’s brother and “a scuffle ensued” when the man said he did not want to go home, with McLean eventually being drawn in.
Ms Bruce said: “He punched Mr Dandie on the head, causing his head to strike a car, knock him to the ground then punched him on the head, causing him to lose consciousness.”
Mr Dandie attended at Ninewells around eight hours later for a CT scan and x-rays.
The scans revealed he had suffered fractures to the bone between his cheek and teeth on the right hand side of his nose and to his bilateral nasal bone.
There was also a minimally displaced spiral fracture to the smaller outer bone at the base of his right leg, which was placed in a cast.
After a few days, it became apparent the cast would not be sufficient and a plate had to be fitted into Mr Dandie’s lower leg, secured with eight screws.
His foot had to be pinned to his ball joint and he now has issues with his ankle in cold weather.
‘Bitterly regrets’ assault
Previously, first offender McLean pled guilty to assaulting Mr Dandie and leaving him severely injured and impaired in the May 30 2021 assault.
An allegation the assault put Mr Dandie’s life in danger was removed by prosecutors.
Solicitor Jim Laverty said: “The offence was committed almost four years ago… anxiety has remained with him since.
“He’s suffering a detrimental effect on his wellbeing.
“It’s a situation where Mr McLean was trying to be a Good Samaritan.
“A stand-up fight ensued. Mr McLean accepts he could have walked away.
“Mr McLean bitterly regrets his involvement in this. His life has changed considerably.
“Mr McLean has made significant strides forward.”
32-year-old McLean, of Dundee, was ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative to custody.
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