Sheriff Collins

April. The boy cannot be named for legal reasons.

Defence lawyer Paul Belardo said:“He is realistic as to the eventual outcome of this case. It is a serious offence and there is no getting away from that.”

Sheriff Petra Collins told Campbell:“You pled guilty to a nasty assault on a young boy, leaving him severely injured and permanently disfigured.

“You have left me with no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence. I have listened very carefully to everything which has been said on your behalf and you have been realistic that a jail term would be inevitable.

“I will limit the sentence on this to 15 months, reduced from 20 months because of your early guilty plea saving court time.”

Campbell was jailed for a further two months on a separate minor matter, the sheriff ordering the sentences to run consecutively.

As he was handcuffed and led to the cells Campbell callously called out to a family member: “Don’t worry, I’ll be out in nine months.”