Sustained Hogmanay attack denied in court

A Perthshire man has denied a serious – and sustained – Hogmanay attack which left his alleged victim unconscious and put his life in danger.

Russell Matthew, 28, of Queen’s Avenue, Blairgowrie, will stand trial before a jury at Perth Sheriff Court during the week beginning August 16.

Lawyer Steve Lafferty has lodged a special defence of self-defence to the charge.

It is alleged that on December 31, 2019, at a house on Emma Street, Blairgowrie, the street outside – and in the back garden of the property – he assaulted the man by repeatedly spitting on him and repeatedly striking him on the head and body with a piece of wood.

The accused is then said to have pursued him, pulled him to the ground and then struggled with him before repeatedly kicking him on the head and body.

Matthew is further accused of seizing the other man by his hair and repeatedly striking his head off a paving slab, rendering him unconscious, to his injury and danger of life.

A second charge on the indictment claims that he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm, by repeatedly shouting and swearing and acting in an aggressive manner towards the man.

A third charge states that the accused flouted a January 3, 2020, bail order banning him from entering Emma Street or approaching or contacting the man.

It is claimed that he went into the street on April 20, 2020, and contacted him.