A decorator battered a dog walker with a paint roller and left him “gushing with blood” on the street, a court has heard.
Neil McCallum whacked his victim with the telescopic tool in a busy Auchterarder street, while children walking home from school looked on.
Perth Sheriff Court heard the injured man required treatment for a head wound and is likely to be scarred for life.
When police later caught up with 37-year-old McCallum, he told them: “I hit a junkie ‘cos he threw a rock at my van.”
He appeared in the dock and admitted, while with others, assaulting his victim to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement on January 11 2024.
The court heard how McCallum, of Woodside, near Coupar Angus, was later involved in a bizarre belt battle with another man in Perth city centre.
Street attack
Prosecutor Sarah Wilkinson told the court: “At the time of the first incident, there was a number of pedestrians, including schoolchildren, in the area.
“At about 3.45pm, a blue Transit van carrying three males was seen turning left into Rossie Place.
“The complainer was walking his dog there.”
A witness described seeing the man in the middle of the road as he engaged with the van’s occupants.
“All parties were shouting and gesticulating at each other,” said Ms Wilkinson.
“A witness observed the accused striking the complainer repeatedly on the head and legs with a metal pole, which transpired to be an extendable paint roller.”
Police were called as McCallum and the other men left the scene.
“The witness approached the complainer and observed blood gushing from his nose and blood running from a large cut to the top of his head.
“The complainer returned home, where he was later traced by paramedics.”
A 15mm head wound was treated with glue but the man declined to go to hospital.
“Paramedics are of the opinion that the wound will leave permanent scarring,” said Ms Wilkinson.
McCallum was traced after police viewed dashcam footage.
He said he had used an extendable painting stick in the attack, which he had left at the scene.
He added “I hit a mongo” but when at Dundee police HQ, he gave a no-comment interview.
Belt brawl
The court heard McCallum was involved in a separate incident at Perth’s Mill Street a few days later, on January 27 2024.
“At about 2.50am, an unknown complainer and the accused were at a bus stop,” said Ms Wilkinson.
“They were heavily intoxicated, having been on a night out in the city centre.”
The pair began arguing and McCallum punched the other man once to the side of his face.
“This caused him to stumble onto the road,” the fiscal depute said.
“The accused then removed the belt from his waist and attempted to hit the complainer with it.”
The men then got into a bizarre brawl and were seen trying to hit each other with their belts.
“Both parties fell to the ground,” Ms Wilkinson said. “Police were called and the accused was traced by CCTV at 3.30am.”
Sheriff Alison McKay deferred sentence for background reports.
She told McCallum: “Charge one (the assault in Auchterarder) is a particularly serious matter and, notwithstanding your comparative lack of record, I am not prepared to deal with this today.”
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