An Angus man has been jailed for 11 months for two unprovoked attacks with a metal bar.
One attack left a man with three broken ribs, a bruised lung and bruised kidney.
Appearing from custody on Thursday, Michael John Alexander Smith (31), Glenogil Terrace, Forfar, previously admitted that on February 2 at East High Street he assaulted a man and struck him on the head with a metal bar to his injury.
He also admitted assaulting a man in Glenmoy Terrace and striking him on the body with a metal pole to his severe injury.
He further admitted being in possession of an offensive weapon in a public place on both occasions.
The court heard Smith had gone to a takeaway under the influence of drink and walked into a glass window thinking it was a door. He suffered a cut head and left the shop looking very unhappy.
Depute fiscal Nicola Gillespie said the complainer was walking along East High Street around 9.30pm and Smith started to shout at him.
She said: ”For no reason he immediately approached him and struck him with a metal bar. The complainer did not know the accused.”
Smith made off and was seen by members of the public carrying the metal bar.
Police and an ambulance were called and the victim was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. He received two paper stitches to a head wound.
Giving a narration of the second incident, Mrs Gillespie said the complainer had left his house to take his son to the park.
He saw Smith in the street wielding a metal pole and he appeared to be involved in an altercation with a man who had a golf club.
She said: ”He tried to calm them down because there were children about. Smith said: ‘I ken who you are’ then swung the metal pole at the complainer who ducked to avoid being struck on the head.
”However he was caught on the back. He suffered three broken ribs, a bruised lung and a bruised kidney.”
Smith ran off when someone said the police were on their way.
Mrs Gillespie said the metal pole used in the attack was 4ft long. She said it was a metal tube which had wood forced down it to strengthen it.
Defence agent Nick Markowski said all of the incidents were ”soaked in alcohol.”
He said: ”When he is drinking he sometimes loses the plot. He is very much a Jekyll and Hyde character.”
Mr Markowski said his client has written to the local Pubwatch scheme and asked them to ban him from all pubs in Forfar.
Sheriff Kevin Veal said Smith was very lucky the matters were not being dealt with on indictment. He sentenced him to 11 months in jail, backdated to February 28.