Off-duty policeman hit by bottle in club
32-year-old admits assault in Perth city nightspot
An off-duty police officer had stitches inserted in a wound to his face after he was struck by a bottle in a Perth city centre nightclub.
PC David Rice was given first aid at The Loft before he went to Perth Royal Infirmary.
There, it was discovered he had sustained a half-inch cut to his left cheek and had three paper stitches inserted in the wound, Perth Sheriff Court was told this week.
Thirty-two-year-old Richard Scroggie, said to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after two tours of duty with the military in Iraq, had his sentence deferred for three months.
That will enable him to attend a residential combat stress course which could last from two-six weeks.
He admitted that on March 12 this year, at the South Street club, he struck the officer with a bottle, to his injury.
Depute fiscal Carol Whyte said that the offduty officer had been attending a staff party with a number of friends.
They arrived at The Loft about 12.30am and were standing close to a spiral staircase which leads to the VIP bar.
A fight broke out a short distance away and the constable “felt a hard blow” to the left side of his face.
“He realised he was injured and bleeding and went to receive first aid.
“A short time later the accused told the complainer’s friend that he had thrown the bottle.”
CCTV was reviewed and Scroggie was later interviewed.
“He said he had thrown the bottle intending it to strike the person who was attacking his friend.
“But instead it struck the complainer,” added the fiscal.
When cautioned and charged, Scroggie replied: “There’s nothing I can say.”
Solicitor Mike Tavendale said his client is a self-employed courier driver.
“He fully acknowledged his involvement at the time and made a full admission.
“His actions at the time were wholly unacceptable and he’s in a position to pay compensation.”
Scroggie, of Park Avenue, Dundee, will return to court to discover his fate on August 16.
Mr Tavendale has been asked to provide a report on the combat stress report.
Sheriff William Wood noted it had been seven years since the accused had left the Army.
He added: “What I am concerned about is that you have run up three or four convictions in the past five years.” Richard Scroggie at the Perth court