A drunken thug who attacked a chef outside a Perthshire pub over a debt of just £10 has been jailed.
Christopher Kelly set upon Ian Leask after he finished an 11-hour shift in the kitchens of the Strathord Inn, Stanley.
Kelly, 27, had admitted the assault when he appeared at Perth Sheriff Court in October.
He was placed on a 100-day Restriction of Liberty curfew and ordered to pay his victim £300 compensation.
But Kelly was hauled back to the dock after refusing to speak to social workers as part of a year-long supervision order.
He had not paid a penny of compensation to Mr Leask.
Sending him to prison, Sheriff WillIam Wood told Kelly: “This is one of those rare occurrences when there is no other viable sentencing option left.”
Shook hands with victim
The court heard Kelly, of Tweedsmuir Road, Perth, attacked Mr Leask to his injury outside the Duchess Street establishment on September 27 2021.
Fiscal depute Stephanie Hendry said Mr Leask had earlier loaned Kelly’s brother £10.
She said there had been no issue with the debt outstanding.
Mr Leask stepped outside the Strathord Inn at just after 9pm, following a shift starting at 10am, Ms Hendry said.
“He was on the pavement in front of the premises when he was joined by the accused,” she told the court.
“A discussion was had between the two men.
“The accused was not happy that Mr Leask had discussed the £10 loan with his father.
“But after a matter of minutes, they shook hands and that appeared to be the end of the matter.”
Struck head off pavement
Ms Hendry said: “However at 9.30pm, the accused joined Mr Leask again outside the locus.
“He immediately confronted him and invaded his space.
“The accused punched Mr Leask on the face, causing him to fall to the ground and hit his head on pavement.”
Kelly walked away, as his victim struggled back to his feet and walked back into the pub.
“Witnesses saw that he was holding the back of his head, as if he was injured,” said Ms Hendry.
“He was using walls to steady himself as he walked.”
Police were called and “repeated efforts were made to trace the accused, without success,” the fiscal depute said.
The court heard Mr Leask’s head wound was closed using surgical glue.
There was no permanent scarring.
High ‘level of violence’
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said that his client had been drinking that evening.
Sheriff Wood told Kelly: “You will appreciate that this is a serous charge involving an unprovoked assault.
“The complainer simply wasn’t expecting this level of violence over what was an historic debt, which was not even owed to you.”
The court heard Kelly had “disengaged” with social workers and had not paid any compensation.
“I have received no assurances that you will comply with any other court orders.”
Kelly was jailed for 14 weeks.
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