A man who launched an unprovoked headbutt attack on a motorist as he queued for a car park ticket has been spared jail.
Jamie Riley ran at his victim, who was waiting to use the payment machine at an Inverness car park, headbutting him so hard that he fell to the ground, bleeding from the mouth.
The court was told that Riley was heavily intoxicated at the time of the attack.
Riley, 37, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted a single charge of assault in relation to the incident at Strothers Lane car park on April 5 this year.
Fiscal depute Shay Treanor explained that just after 10am, some people were queueing for the ticket machine in Strothers Lane car park, including the complainer.
Headbutt knocked man to ground
“The accused ran toward the witness and struck him to the face with a headbutt, causing him to fall to the ground bleeding from the face,” Mr Treanor said.
The court heard that the man got to his feet and was able to “verbally placate” Riley.
Police were contacted and later traced the accused to Union Street in Inverness where he was lying on the road obstructing traffic.
Riley’s solicitor Neil Wilson said his client had woken in the cells “very hungover and very apologetic.”
But Sheriff Gary Aitken noted that would be little comfort to the man he had attacked.
“He is very lucky that he did not go down with enough of a clatter to smash his head in,” the sheriff said. “Drinking is no excuse for appalling behaviour.”
Mr Wilson explained that “matters have gone wrong” in his client’s life, following a breakup with his partner during lockdown.
He said: “During lockdown Mr Riley continued working, working eight or nine weeks at a time with limited time at home.”
Relationship woes led to alcohol use
“The long time away from home contributed to the end of the relationship, the end of the relationship contributed to the use of alcohol.”
He said: “He knows that he has got himself into difficulty here, he has taken steps to address that.”
Sheriff Aitken placed Riley, of Coulpark, Alness, on a community payback order with 200 hours of unpaid work in the community.