An Inverness man who was already locked up for attempted murder has admitted leaving another man “permanently impaired” with a single punch.
William Williamson, 23, left his victim with multiple fractures to his skull, both eye sockets, cheekbone, jaw and nose after the vicious assault at his home.
The brutal attack on March 2 last year was the beginning of “three days of madness,” Williamson’s lawyer told Inverness Sheriff Court.
He was previously jailed for five years and four months in February, after admitting repeatedly punching and kicking Gary Paterson on March 5 last year.
Now the violent offender has had a further 18 months added to his custodial sentence, to run alongside his existing jail term.
‘One amazing punch’
The Crown accepted a guilty plea to a single punch which the man with a drooping left eye.
But Sheriff Ian Cruickshank expressed surprise at the severity of the injuries.
He told defence solicitor advocate Shahid Latif: “That is one amazing punch. The injuries are significant.”
And Mr Latif replied: “The Crown accepted it was a single punch and the consequences are disproportionate.”
Sheriff Cruickshank responded: “I have to accept that this has been agreed and I will say nothing more than that.”
He then addressed Williamson, who appeared by video link from prison.
“There was not the slightest justification for you doing that,” the sheriff told him.
The court heard that Williamson wrongly accused his victim of stealing his bank card after the pair had an all-day drinking session in the man’s house in Bruce Gardens, Inverness, before unleashing the punch.
‘Fugue of intoxication and drugs’
Mr Latif explained: “This was three days of madness, which overtook him in a fugue of intoxication and drugs.
“He apologises to the complainer. There were a number of factors which led to this.”
Mr Latif said the taking of the intoxicants by his client was a response to a number of bereavements.
“The passing of his grandfather, father and sister in recent years had an effect on him. But now he is at a crossroads in his life and he is taking such help as he can in prison.”
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