A shopkeeper has said he holds no grudge against a thug who smashed him in the face with a bottle, leaving him permanently scarred.
Omar Aziz was working at Station News in Inverness city centre when alcoholic Dylan Bannister viciously attacked him.
Bannister had been trying to steal alcohol from the popular shop – which has since closed – and Mr Aziz caught him in the act.
In an attempt to get away, the brute grabbed a bottle and smashed him in the head with it.
Despite the fact that Mr Aziz suffered a permanent scar to his face and continues to feel pain his hand today as a result of the attack, he told the Press and Journal he does not bear any grudges against his attacker.
On hearing that Bannister was spared jail at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday, Mr Aziz, 37, said: “The community service he will have to do is fair.
“I suffered scarring and it wasn’t a nice thing to go through – and I’m glad it went to court, but I think the sentence was fair.
‘Bannister obviously needs support’
“He has got some kind of punishment and obviously needs support.”
The court heard how the incident happened at the newsagents on Farraline Park on March 16 2023.
On that day, Bannister had been drinking alcohol from the moment he woke up.
The 19-year-old made the 1.5-mile journey from his home in Esk Road to Station News and tried to pocket some booze.
And when Mr Aziz caught him red handed, Bannister lashed out.
He punched Mr Aziz repeatedly in the head and then hit him with the bottle.
At a previous hearing, Bannister had admitted assaulting Mr Aziz to his injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment.
Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald was told that the victim sustained a scar and a hand injury which still caused him pain.
And that wasn’t the only offence Bannister committed last year.
‘He cannot carry on this path’
The teenager also admitted assaulting one police officer on May 25 in Mackintosh Road, Inverness by spitting in his face and assaulting a second constable by pushing him on the body, causing him to fall backwards.
Defending, Marc Dickson told the court: “All this arose from him suffering from addiction difficulties – not only involving alcohol – which he was drinking daily waking up in the morning.
“He entered the shop and attempted to shoplift alcohol but the complainer reacted robustly and my client reacted to that totally inappropriately.
“He has not offended for a considerable period as he realises that he cannot carry on on the path he was on.” Mr Dickson went on.
Bannister was told that, had he been older, he could have been looking at the inside of a prison cell.
‘Had you been older I would jail you’
But the sheriff suggested he was still young enough to turn his life around.
She told Bannister: “If you were over 25 I would send you to jail. But you are only 19.
“This was a very foul, nasty and violent incident, very concerning and dangerous.”
She ordered Bannister to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and placed him under 18 months of social work supervision.
He also must wear an electronic tag to alert the monitoring authorities if he is
out with his home between 8pm and 6am for the next nine months.
Station News sadly closed its doors for the last time last November after 13 years in business.
The popular convenience store had to make way for the construction of a hotel – and owner Munawar Ahmad said he couldn’t find an alternative base at a fair price.
However, Mr Ahmad was full of praise for his dedicated employee Mr Aziz.
When he first took him on as a staff member they were just colleagues – but now they are good friends.
Mr Ahmad told us: “He’s not just my employee, but after all these years working together he has also become my best pal.”
