A dreadlocked Fife man who broke his victim’s jaw with a baseball bat after being called “Bob Marley” has been jailed for two years.
Michael Gray took offence to being compared to the reggae singer in a Glenrothes pub.
Hours later he took revenge on the young man, who was celebrating his 21st birthday at the time.
Gray got out of a car as his victim walked home from Styx nightclub and viciously attacked him with the bat, knocking him unconscious.
The 40-year-old, of Glenrothes, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to the assault to severe injury and permanent impairment on June 22 last year.
He repeatedly threatened the man with violence, challenged him to a fight, and repeatedly struck him on the head and body with a baseball bat.
Victim left ‘devastated’
Sheriff James Williamson told Gray: “You pled guilty to an unprovoked attack on a young man with a baseball bat.
“After a trivial dispute, you collected from somewhere a baseball bat.
“Then, in a car with others including your wife, you essentially hunted down the victim, then assaulted him”.
The sheriff noted the victim suffered a broken jaw and has ongoing difficulties.
“I have read a victim impact statement from this young man.
“He is both physically and mentally devastated by the attack.
“He lost his work and, it seems to me, is still suffering the effects a year on”.
Sheriff Williamson jailed Gray for two years, reduced from three due to his early plea.
Bat attack
Prosecutor Sarah Smith told the court previously the younger man was out with friends for his 21st birthday in Pinkertons pub.
He asked Gray if he had put an Oasis song on the jukebox and as he was leaving, said: “See you later Bob Marley.”
Gray thought it was a reference to his dreadlocks and was heard saying: “I’m going to cave his skull in.”
The depute said the two groups were later in Styx nightclub and Gray angrily warned “he was not the type of person to have a laugh with and he did not know who he was messing with”.
Around 1.20am, the man and his partner were walking home on Caskieberran Road, when a car pulled up with Gray in the front passenger seat.
Gray wanted a fight and the young man apologised but as he walked off, Gray got out the car holding a black metal bat, which he used to strike the victim repeatedly on the head and body.
The man was knocked unconscious and fell to the ground.
The victim’s partner managed to video part of the incident, which included Gray making death threats and a Vauxhall Zafira driving off, leading to his arrest.
The man required surgery on his broken jaw and had a metal plate and screws inserted.
The fiscal said he has lost feeling in the part of his chin which was struck and has been told this will never return.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
