Attacker spared jail over ‘Neanderthal’ bid to sort out debt

Accused was angry at seeing man who owed him cash out drinking

A man who broke a friend’s nose in a “Neanderthal” bid to sort out an unpaid debt has avoided going to prison for the attack.

Daniel Olliver of Arbroath was told by a sheriff he had “lost the place” in the festive season town assault last year when the 28-year-old had become angry at seeing his pal out drinking when he still owed him cash.

Olliver, of Marketgate, appeared for sentencing before Sheriff Derek Reekie at Forfar having previously pled guilty to assaulting victim Connor Mcleod by repeatedly punching him on the head and body in Weaver’s Close, Arbroath, on December 30.

The court heard the incident happened in the early hours and when police traced the accused he appeared to be shaken and said he knew why they were looking for him.

Olliver was placed on a 12-month community payback order with supervision and ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work within nine months.

“

You totally lost the place and went way beyond any reasonable chastisement. SHERIFF DEREK REEKIE

Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said Olliver told officers: “I didn’t mean for it to go so far.”

She added: “He stated he was the sole person responsible for assaulting him and showed complete remorse.

“He said Mr Mcleod was due him money and he had approached him. This resulted in seeing the red mist and assaulting him until he was pulled off him by another person.”

Defence solicitor Billy Rennie said: “He had been out previously with the complainer. They had gone into a bar that took only cash and he lent him some money.

“He didn’t get it back, but kept seeing him out drinking, so that led to the confrontation.

“In essence, however Neanderthal in today’s world, they both agreed to go round the corner and sort out their differences.”

The court heard the victim was a hostile witness and refused to provide a statement in the case.

Sheriff Reekie told Olliver: “This was a serious assault. I acknowledge the circumstances in which it occurred, but you totally lost the place and went way beyond any reasonable chastisement.

“You are very fortunate – we all see what can happen in situations like this and you might well have potentially found yourself in the highest court in the land.

“Fortunately for everyone, that hasn’t come to pass.”