A teenager has narrowly avoided being locked up for a brutal glassing in a Blairgowrie pub, which left his victim deaf in one ear.
Barred Jamie van Den Berg shoved a barmaid at the Cartwheel Inn after she asked him to leave the premises.
When punter Scott MacGregor went to lend a hand, the 19-year-old struck him across the head with a glass.
Mr MacGregor was seen with blood pouring from a wound and suffered a perforated eardrum.
Van Den Berg, who was previously caught on a night out with a 40cm machete, appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted two charges of assault at the Wellweadow pub on January 5 2022.
Escorted out of pub
Prosecutor Erika Watson told the court: “At around 9.15pm, witness Mr MacGregor attended at the locus after finishing his shift as a chef at a local establishment.
“Around this time, barmaid Donna Kidd was made aware by another member of staff that there was a male there – the accused – who was barred from the premises.
“She went to investigate and saw the accused. She told him he would have to leave.”
Ms Watson said van Den Berg turned on her and shouted: “F*** off.”
“Ms Kidd then attempted to remove a glass from the accused’s hand as she she didn’t want him leaving with it.
“He pushed her and she fell onto a table.”
Mr MacGregor and his brother Alexander, went to assist.
Ms Watson said: “On leaving the locus, the accused swung the glass at Mr MacGregor, striking him on the left side of his head and causing bleeding from his ear.”
Van Den Berg shouted obscenities at Ms Kidd and Mr MacGregor before fleeing.
Ms Watson said Mr MacGregor suffered a laceration to the upper left side of his neck.
He told police outside the pub he felt there was glass inside his wound.
The deep cut was surgically glued and dressed.
“Mr MacGregor also suffered a perforation to his left eardrum,” said Ms Watson.
“This resulted in the loss of hearing from that ear.
“However, the damage is not believed to be permanent.”
Knew he was banned
Police visited van Den Berg at his family home in Alyth, in the early hours of the next day.
“He freely admitted to officers he had a cut on his hand because he had smashed a glass over someone’s head,” said Ms Watson.
He said he pushed Ms Kidd after she “grabbed” him.
Solicitor Mike Tavendale, defending, said his client was not aware he had been banned from the bar.
However, Sheriff William Wood pointed out this was at odds with what van Den Berg had told social workers.
Mr Tavendale said: “The barmaid tried to push him out and he pushed her back.
“He was then grabbed forcibly by the throat by Mr MacGregor and I am advised that Mr van Den Berg had forgotten he had a glass in his hand when he attempted to free himself.”
His client was struggling with drugs and alcohol, Mr Tavendale said.
Court ‘frequent flyer’
Sheriff Wood told van Den Berg: “I have given serious consideration as to whether I should put you in detention.
“We have a man who went to the assistance of a barmaid ended up with two lacerations, bleeding from his ear and a perforated eardrum.
“These are serious injuries. This was an appalling incident.”
Van Den Berg was placed on supervision for a year and must stay home each night as part of a 12-week restriction of liberty curfew.
The sheriff said: “That means that for most of the summer, when your pals are out, you will be sitting inside wondering how you got there.
“You are in danger of becoming a frequent flyer in this court. Treat this as a wake-up call.”
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