Sheriff castigates ‘violent’ man

A Perth sheriff castigated a man who punched another male who had seen him lying in a close, bleeding.

On Thursday, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Christopher Taylor, 25, of Catmoor Avenue, Scone, he was “violent” and had a criminal record of disorderly behaviour. He described his actions as “lashing out and thumping” the man on the back of the head.

Depute Fiscal Tina Dickie told Perth Sheriff Court that the victim had been out in Perth on a “night out” with friends when the group spotted the accused lying on the ground in a close, “covered in blood.”

She said: “The group spotted the accused but he started shouting, ‘Let’s go, let’s see how hard you are then.’ As the witness walked past Taylor the accused punched him once on the back of the head.”

The court heard that police were contacted and officers later traced Taylor, who was covered in blood and also had blood on his nose.

“Taylor was taken to hospital but released a short time later,” Ms Dickie added.

Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said his client had drunk alcohol and claimed another “group” had broken his nose.

“My client thought this was the same group of people,” he said.

Taylor admitted that on September 27, 2016, he punched the man in Scott Street, Perth.

Sentence was deferred until May 24 for background reports.