A balaclava-wearing thug used a baseball bat to batter a man accused of murder in a Dundee multi-storey block.
Graeme McBrearty, 55, was jailed after he admitted knocking Jackie Doig unconscious at Adamson Court in April 2019.
Doig is currently on remand, accused of murdering Frankie Melvin, 34, almost a year ago in Arbroath.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard claims from McBrearty that Doig was responsible for breaking into his home.
McBrearty was snared after CCTV footage captured him leaving the multi, removing his balaclava while still clutching the baseball bat.
It was unknown why Doig and a female associate went to the 14th floor before the attack.
Witness feared she would be next
“The complainer was attacked by the accused with a baseball bat,” fiscal depute Lora Apostolova said.
“The witness called an ambulance as the accused was bleeding heavily.
“Police attended and found him outside the front entrance, bleeding heavily with his left arm disfigured.
“The witness was jittery, agitated and very reluctant to speak to the police.”
The court was told the witness claimed she did not see Doig being attacked and was reluctant to provide any further information.
She later revealed she was scared of the person who did it and feared she was “next”.
Officers found a large pool of blood which had spread from the 14th floor and into the lift.
Refused to give police details
Doig was taken to Ninewells Hospital where he was operated on and two metal plates had to be fitted into his arm.
He also suffered broken ribs and cuts but would only tell police he had been attacked with a baseball bat by a man wearing a balaclava.
Police identified McBrearty, of Burnside Gardens, from the CCTV after he was seen leaving the block.
McBrearty pled guilty to assaulting Doig until he was unconscious, to his severe injury, on April 21 2019.
Doig is awaiting trial accused of murdering Mr Melvin by repeatedly punching and kicking him on the head and body, pursuing him while armed with a knife, repeatedly stabbing him on the body and murdering him as a result on August 26 2020 on Newbigging Drive and Spitalfield Place, Arbroath.
The 42-year-old claims he acted in self-defence.
Sheriff Lorna Drummond sentenced McBrearty to 27 months in prison.