Court / ‘Nasty assault’ outside Brae Hall left victim with broken nose and teeth

A BRAE man who left a “significantly smaller” man with a broken nose and teeth after a “nasty assault” has had his sentence deferred for reports.

Alan Smith, 38, admitted repeatedly punching his victim’s head outside the Brae Hall after an event on 20 July last year.

The court heard there had been a verbal dispute between the two, which saw Smith push the complainer over before raining punches down on him.

He was left with a broken bone in his nose, several broken teeth and a chipped tooth, which had required extensive and ongoing dental work.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said that there was a “significant discrepancy in size” between the two men, with the complainer “significantly smaller” than Smith.

The complainer was “dazed” after being shoved to the ground by Smith, the court heard, before Smith began to punch him repeatedly.

Smith then left the scene, with the other man described by witnesses as being “extremely dazed” and “coming to”.

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An ambulance was called to take him to hospital due to the severity of his injuries.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said Smith had been at an event organised by his Delting Up Helly Aa squad, and had been told by some younger people of an incident involving the complainer.

Smith, who was intoxicated, decided “to take the man to task”, Allan said, leading to a physical confrontation.

Allan said Smith’s contention was that he had helped the man up afterwards, and that the complainer had been speaking to people when Smith left.

Smith “very much regretted” the incident and “accepts fully his responsibility” for the injuries the man suffered.

Sheriff Philip Mann called this a “quite serious assault” and decided to defer sentence for background reports.

Smith will return for sentencing on 11 February.