Street assault results in 12-month sentence

A BEGGAR was left bloodied following a row in the middle of a busy West End street which descended into violence.

Mark Harrison was jailed after he admitted thumping Christopher Tennant while clutching a metal lighter on Perth Road in March.

The pair had been embroiled in a feud and a chance meeting resulted in chaos outside the Spar store where Mr Tennant normally begs.

Harrison pleaded guilty to acting with another in repeatedly punching Mr Tennant on the head while holding a metal lighter on March 19.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard Harrison and a now deceased friend were walking along the street when they came across Mr Tennant.

Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin said: “The accused approached the witness Tennant and immediately started punching him to the face.

“The accused was seen to have a lighter in his hand.

“Another witness went out into the street to see what was going on.

“The accused walked off but the witness Tennant started shouting after the accused and his friend.

“The accused removed his jacket and immediately went towards the complainer and punched him repeatedly on the face.”

Police were contacted by a number of concerned onlookers.

Officers eventually caught up with Mr Tennant who was bleeding heavily and refused to provide a statement.

He was taken to Ninewells Hospital where a 5cm laceration to his forehead was glued.

Harrison appeared via video link from HMP Perth to plead guilty before Sheriff Alastair Carmichael.

Defence solicitor David Duncan said the 41-yearold did not intentionally go to the street to attack Mr Tennant.

Before jailing Harrison for 12 months, Sheriff Carmichael said: “There was a nasty injury caused and I can’t ignore that.”