Two thugs who barged into a 74-year-old Dundee man’s home and subjected him to a brutal attack were today jailed for a total of nine years.
Gary Ironside and Ryan Jendrycha’s terrified victim lay crying “why, why, why me?” as the they delivered blows to his head and body.
The pair had downed an “industrial amount” of alcohol before forcing their way into Alexander Lees’ home in the city’s Hindmarsh Avenue on Sunday July 27 last year.
The pair then left, with Ironside then randomly attacking a pedestrian outside for no reason.
Fiscal depute Vicky Bell told Dundee Sheriff Court: “Neither accused spoke during the incident.
“After several minutes Mr Lees became aware that they had left.
“Disoriented and dizzed he pulled himself off the floor and made his way to the living room.
“He then went to a neighbour’s door who found Mr Lees covered in blood and one of his eyes was swollen and closed.
“Mr Lees had lived at the address for a number of years and was well liked by his neighbours.
“As a result of this attack he no longer felt safe in his own home and asked to be re-housed.
“He has fully recovered physically but remains confused and upset about why this happened.”
Ironside, 19, of Court Street North, Dundee, and Jendrycha, 28, of Sandeman Street, Dundee, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of assaulting Mr Lees to his severe injury.
Ironside further admitted a charge of assaulting Alan Gilmartin to his injury.
Defence solicitor John Boyle, for Jendrycha, said: “He is still struggling to come to terms with the fact that he assaulted a 74-year-old man.”
And Kris Gilmartin, for Ironside, added: “He is genuinely and deeply remorseful.
“The effects on the victim have been marked and he wants to make it clear that he was not the intended victim and there’s no reason for him to live in fear.”
Sheriff Alistair Brown jailed both men for four and a half years each.
He said: “You both forced your way into a 74-year-old man’s home and actively assaulted him.
“You didn’t know him, he was not an offender of any sort, he had nothing to do with contact difficulties and was simply in his home when he was subjected to a violent assault.
“The physical effects were short lived but the emotional effects were such that he could no longer live in his home and had to be moved.
“The proper sentence is six years imprisonment – though I am required to reduce that by 25 percent to reflect your early pleas.”
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