A soldier who seriously assaulted a St Andrews Open Championship worker during a night out has been jailed, with his accomplice given community service for his role in the attack.
Ian Gunn, 24, and Scott Burns, 23, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to be sentenced for the assault on Stephen Costello, 43, which took place in the town’s Hope Street in the early hours of July 13 2022.
After a friend of the soldiers – then in the Army and stationed at Leuchars – was headbutted by a colleague of Mr Costello near the student union, they attacked him while he was separated from his companions and alone in a side street.
Prosecutor Jamie Hilland told the court previously Mr Costello felt an impact from behind and fell, striking his head, leaving him bleeding heavily.
While he was on the ground, Gunn punched and kicked him on the head.
Burns caught up and punched and kicked him on the head.
They were split up by a bystander and passing police were flagged down.
Mr Costello, who was taken to Ninewells Hospital, suffered a tear duct injury and now always carries sunglasses due to the discomfort he suffers in bright light.
Gunn, of School Place in Kirkwall, Orkney, but formerly of Leven, previously pled guilty to assault to severe injury and permanent impairment.
He was a first offender at the time but has since accrued a criminal record.
He has been on remand since appearing in court in relation to his third non-appearance warrant on May 16.
First offender Burns, of Lorne Court in Glenrothes, pled guilty to a reduced charge of assault.
Sheriff John MacRitchie jailed Gunn for 21 months and 12 days and gave Burns 180 hours of unpaid work as part of a one-year community payback order.
Pervert teacher jailed
A former Scots boarding school teacher from Perthshire has been jailed for nine years for the abuse of 11 boys. William Bain preyed on pupils while working at three different fee-paying schools in Scotland.
Attempted murder charge
A 47-year-old has appeared in court accused of attempting to murder a man with a knife in Dundee.
Paul Barclay is alleged to have carried out the attack on Saturday June 28.
He is accused of assaulting the man on Kenmore Terrace by pursuing him and repeatedly striking him on the body with a knife.
This allegedly caused the man to suffer severe injury, permanent disfigurement as well as having his life endangered.
Prosecutors allege it was an attempted murder.
Barclay, of Cotton Road, made no plea when he appeared on petition from custody at Dundee Sheriff Court.
He was released on bail by Sheriff John Rafferty after being committed for further examination
Anxious health wait
A police officer underwent blood tests for six months after having to wrestle uncapped, used syringes from a woman she was apprehending in Montrose. Vikki Wild, 32, admitted injuring the police officer with multiple needle-stick injuries, which pierced the skin of her hand.
107mph speeder
A Glenrothes driver was clocked at 107mph on a 60mph single carriageway stretch of road.
Darren Swain, 48, of Skibo Avenue, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to plead guilty to speeding on March 16 this year on the A985, between Clinkum Bank and Cairneyhill.
Fiscal depute Jonathan Bruce told the court it was around 3:55pm when Swain’s Ford Focus was “clocked doing 107mph on a road where the restriction was 60mph”.
Defence lawyer Alexander Flett said Swain normally drives a van and had not appreciated his speed until police officers, who he thinks were in an unmarked car, stopped him.
Mr Flett said there are road traffic offences on his record but the most recent was 20 years ago.
The lawyer said Swain is employed full-time as a labourer through an agency and works about seven miles from home so asked the court not to disqualify him or, at least, restrict the ban length.
Sheriff Krista Johnston told Swain it is a “ridiculously high speed”, so excessive she must mark it by a period of disqualification.
She banned Swain from driving for 80 days and fined him £330.
Hefty fare
Fife brothers who refused to pay a £27 taxi fare have ended up with a £500 compensation bill. James and Ryan Beattie caused havoc when one pulled the cab’s handbrake while it was in motion and the other booted it’s wing mirror before fleeing without paying.
WH Smith break-in charge dropped
Prosecutors have ditched criminal proceedings against a man accused of breaking into WH Smith in Dundee city centre.
The 43-year-old had been accused of forcing his way into the Murraygate store on June 30 last year.
It was alleged he stole money, postal stamps and vapes.
The Dundee resident had been due to appear in the city’s sheriff court in connection with the charge but the Crown Office have treated the case as “not called” following a review.
This means no further criminal proceedings will take place in the near future but the charge could be revived should new evidence come to light.
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