A Bannockburn thug last week escaped a jail sentence for carrying out a bottle attack on a man in a town street which left him with a broken tooth and leg.
Twenty-two-year-old Stuart Curran had admitted assaulting the man to his severe injury and impairment at Station Road on March 19, 2022, by repeatedly striking him on the head and body with a bottle.
As a result of the attack the man’s front tooth was knocked out and bones in his left leg were broken.
Fiscal depute Ann Orr told Stirling Sheriff Court last week that Curran had been drinking in the company of friends that day, during which the accused and the complainer began arguing “long before the assault took place”.
In Main Street the accused and the complainer continued drinking and arguing – and a short time later the complainer was standing with another man in Station Road.
At that point Curran grabbed two wine bottles from behind him and ran across the road towards the complainer and the other man, said the fiscal depute.
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Curran struck the complainer with the bottle in his right hand which caused him to fall to the ground. He then repeatedly struck him with two bottles while he was lying on the ground.
A witness tried to provide the victim with assistance as he was not moving and there was blood coming from his mouth.
The man stated that he had a sore head and foot.
Police, added the fiscal depute, received a 999 call at 4.30pm about an ongoing disturbance in Station Road.
Officers attended and an ambulance was requested. Witnesses identified Curran as being responsible for the attack.
The man’s tibia and fibia in his left leg were broken and put in a cast. Steel pins were also put in his leg.
He also received dental treatment. The root of an adjoining tooth had also been damaged.
Ms Orr added that the two front teeth will have to be replaced permanently.
Curran’s defence agent Alastair Ross described the offence as “an unpleasant assault” on a friend.
However, Curran understood the seriousness of the matter and had expressed remorse.
The lawyer further pointed out that there was no offending record before the court and no outstanding matters.
Mr Ross recognised that a custodial term would be appropriate, but suggested a maximum period of unpaid work and supervision as an alternative.
Sheriff O’Mahony told Curran that he was “just” persuaded he could deal with the offence through a non-custodial sentence, taking into account his age and absence of any previous convictions.
He sentenced him to a Community Payback Order comprising two years’ supervision as well as 300 hours’ unpaid work to be completed within 12 months.
Curran, of Academy Place, Bannockburn, was also placed on a Restriction of Liberty Order (tag) confining him to his home for five months between the hours of 7pm and 7am daily.
