A disgruntled former shortbread factory worker who carried out a “cowardly and vicious” early morning attack on a female supervisor has been jailed for six years.
Moray dad-of-five Jon Craig shattered 44-year-old Katarzyna Jaloszynska’s skull and smashed bones in her face, including her left eye socket and cheekbone.
She sustained a brain injury in the attack, which he carried out with a metal pole after lying in wait for her in a lane as she walked to catch a bus to work.
The long term effects of the injury will not be known for months but it appears clear they will be serious as Miss Jaloszynska has been unable to speak since the brutal attack.
Craig struck a few months after resigning from the Walkers firm having become convinced his supervisor was bullying him.
He complained to police officers that she had taken him off easy jobs and instead assigned him unpleasant tasks such as cleaning.
The 55-year-old told them: “Me and other factory workers were treated like Jews in a death camp”.
He was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday, where judge Lord Mulholland told him his victim could easily have lost her life.
“Your attack was cowardly and vicious and but for the skill of the surgeon she could have died.
“When detained, you lied to the police about having no knowledge of the attack on this lady.”
Police said the investigations required to snare Craig had been “extensive, challenging and complex” and described him as “a violent individual”.
The vicious assault took place at around 4.45am on October 26 last year as Miss Jaloszynska left her Elgin home to catch the bus to her work at the Walkers shortbread factory in Aberlour.
Craig bludgeoned her with a metal pole, leaving her in a pool of blood, to be found a short time later by her husband.
The High Court was told he’d heard screaming and had run out to find her badly injured, clutching her handbag, covered in blood and unable to speak.
Emergency surgery was carried out at Aberdeen Royal Hospital to remove fragments of bone from her brain.
She has no memory of the attack and is still unable to speak, although the court was told she can obey commands.
Prosecutor Duncan McPhie said: “The final outcome with regards to the complainer’s brain injury has not yet been determined.
“It will take a minimum of six months to ascertain this.
“The consultant neurosurgeon said that the injuries sustained were consistent with blunt force trauma caused by a fair degree of force in order to fracture the skull.”
Craig was originally charged with attempted murder, but a plea to the reduced charge of assault to the danger of life was subsequently accepted.
Defence counsel Shahid Latif said Craig had expressed “remorse and regret”.
In mitigation he said: “He’s sorry. He has accepted his guilt. He has pled guilty.”
Mr Latif asked the judge to have regard to Craig being in a relationship and his young children.
Following Craig’s sentencing, Detective Inspector Norman Stevenson said: “This brutal assault has resulted in significant long term impact for the victim.
“His victim has shown great strength throughout this investigation and my thoughts are with her and her family.
“I hope that this sentencing can assist them during her ongoing recovery.
“I would again like to thank the community for supporting and assisting us with the investigation which was extensive, challenging and complex.
“I would also like to thank all the officers involved who have all played a part in bringing this violent individual to justice.”