A man who brutally assaulted a 70-year-old fellow cyclist was caught thanks to his victim’s artistic talents.
Graeme Brankin’s savage attack caused a double fracture of pensioner Keith Walker’s eye socket.
Despite the severity of the injuries, Mr Walker, a retired artist with DC Thomson, was able to draw an accurate picture of his attacker.
As a result of the remarkable likeness, police were able to show him a series of photographs in which he identified the accused.
Brankin, 49, formerly of Broughty Ferry, was jailed for two and a half years with an additional 12-month supervised release order.
The cycle rage incident two years ago left Mr Walker needing three metal plates inserted in his face after he was knocked to the ground during the attack.
Brankin, who also goes by the name of Daniel Stone, was previously found guilty by a jury of the assault, along with another assault 11 months later that left a Broughty Ferry man unconscious.
Speaking to the Courier, Mr Walker said Brankin got what he deserved after leaving him for dead.
He said: “He is just a danger to everyone. He had a metal bar he hit me with but it took about a week for me to remember.”
He said: “I think he was going to take me out. I turned my head at the last minute and he got me on the cheek rather than the back of the head where he was aiming.
“I didn’t see it coming. He hit me so hard I could hear the metal ringing in my head.
“He knocked my hearing aid and glasses off, my knees just folded and I fell to the ground.
“I didn’t realise it at the time but the metal bar broke the bones in my face. He’s got what he deserves if he goes around doing that to people.”
The court heard Mr Walker was on his bike on the High Street having finished working as a volunteer when he heard shouting behind him.
The pensioner cycled off but later sensed someone behind him as he travelled along the cycle path near Tesco Riverside.
After another argument, Brankin struck Mr Walker in the face causing his legs to buckle and he fell from his bicycle.
Brankin was found guilty of assaulting Mr Walker by repeatedly striking him on the head, causing him to fall from his bicycle to the ground, to his severe injury between Greenmarket and Roseangle on September 2 2013.
Mr Walker, who is profoundly deaf, said he was knocked out cold for a few seconds but saw his attacker cycle off towards the rail bridge.
After dragging his bike home, the pensioner collapsed in his doorway and his distraught wife called an ambulance.
She said: “He had just got on his bike and he was aware of another cyclist shouting something like ‘You cut me up there’.
“My husband said he told him he was only doing about two miles an hour and then the man started shouting and swearing at him, telling him he must be blind and deaf and stuff like that.
“He told him he didn’t want to have an argument about it and cycled off.
“He said he thought he was being followed but couldn’t see anybody but when he got to Seabraes the man just shouted and swore and came up and punched him.
“He was knocked off his bike and hit his head on the path and was out for a few seconds. I only knew something was wrong when he collapsed at the front door of the house.
“He is profoundly deaf and can’t use a mobile phone to call for help. He said he thought his jaw was broken but it’s his eye socket. He hit his head when he fell that could kill somebody.”
In the other assault, the jury was told the Broughty Ferry man was hit by Brankin in a park and woke up later in hospital.
A witness to the assault said Brankin screamed at the man before resting his bike and punching him in the face.
As the man fell to the ground, Brankin hit his victim again twice.
He was found guilty of assaulting the male by repeatedly punching him on the head, knocking him to the ground and rendering him unconscious to his injury.
It happened at the pavement entrance to Claypotts Park, Arbroath Road, on August 9.
Sheriff George Way was told by solicitor Larry Flynn that Brankin accepted he had anger management issues and had been advised to take a course to address that.
Sheriff Way said the report had assisted in giving him an insight into him but said a custodial disposal was inevitable.