Man told to pay £1,000 compensation after assault

A MAN whose “nasty assault” left another man with injuries including a broken nose has been ordered to pay his victim £1,000 in compensation.

Alan Smith, of Brae, was also placed under supervision for one year.

The 39-year-old had admitted repeatedly punching his victim’s head outside the Brae Hall after an event on 20 July last year.

The court previously heard there had been a verbal dispute between the two, which saw Smith push the complainer over before punching him.

The man 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 also previously told the court that there was a “significant discrepancy in size” between the two men, with the complainer “significantly smaller” than Smith.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said at a previous hearing that Smith had been at an event organised by the Delting Up Helly Aa jarl squad he had been part of, 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 had said, leading to a physical confrontation.

At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday Allan said a criminal justice social work report prepared in advance of sentencing was a “very good one”.

He said a remorseful Smith regretted the incident and wanted to apologise to his victim and “make amends”.

Allan said Smith also understands his actions have caused distress for the victim but also his own family, friends and members of the local community.

He also told court that his client – who was deemed to be at low risk of reoffending – had shown an element of “self discipline” by choosing to remove himself from subsequent jarl squad social activities.

Sentencing Smith, Sheriff Philip Mann said: “This was a nasty assault which resulted in fairly grotesque looking injuries to the victim.”