'People go to jail for assaults like this' – man suffers violent attack at Inverness nightspot
A 22-year-old man who got drunk at an Inverness nightspot and violently assaulted another man has avoided a jail sentence.
Matthew McLane, of Third Avenue, Teignmouth in Devon but originally from Inverness, had been found guilty of assaulting his victim to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement in the Botanic House, Castle Street, Inverness on February 12, 2022.
The jury heard that the two men had a confrontation and McLane punched him on the head, and when he fell to the ground, he straddled him then repeatedly punched him until he was unconscious.
Sentence had been deferred for a background report and defence solicitor Marc Dickson told Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald: “My client had too much to drink. There had been an earlier physical coming together.”
Ordering McLane to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work and remain under social work supervision for a year, Sheriff Macdonald told him: “This was a horrible violent assault causing significant injury.
“People go to jail for assaults like this and drinking is no excuse. This is your first conviction for violence and I hope it will be the last.”
