The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Man gouged PC’ s eyes in violent attack
Apolice officer was temporarily blinded after a man gouged his eyes in an unprovoked attack in Fife.
Donald Mackie was high on Valium at the time of the assault, which took place in Kennoway over the summer. The 31-year-old lunged towards PC Alan Tait and went for his eyes.
Fiscal depute Claire Bremner told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court Mackie was taken to hospital following the incident.
She said: “At around 1.30pm police officers were dispatched to the locus.
“This included PCS Tait and Marnoch, who arrived first.
“They saw the accused on the pavement across from the Swan Hotel.
“He appeared calm at first and was spoken to but, without warning, he lunged at PC Tait, knocking him to the ground.
“He seized him by the head and pressed his thumbs into PC Tait’s eyes.
“PC Marnoch made an effort to pull the accused off PC Tait, which was successful.
“PC Tait got up on his feet but realised he was temporarily blind in his left eye.”
Mackie was arrested and put in the back of a police van but the vehicle had to stop to allow a spit hood to be put on him.
He was taken to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy as there were concerns he had taken tablets.
Solicitor Zander Flett, defending, said Mackie was
relieved the officer had suffered no permanent consequences.
He said: “He had consumed a significant quantity of Valium.”
Mackie, of Springbank Road, Kennoway, admitted assaulting PC Tait on July 10. He further admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner on Bishop’s Court and New
Road, Kennoway, and at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy by shouting, swearing and repeatedly spitting.
Mackie was also sentenced for an incident in which his quad bike crashed into a Royal Mail van, narrowly missing a postal worker.
He had previously pled guilty to driving
dangerously, while disqualified and without insurance, at West Wynd in Buckhaven on May 13 2019.
Sheriff Pino di Emidio sentenced Mackie to 28 months in prison in relation to the assault on the police officer and a further 140 days for the driving offence.
He was banned from the roads for 19 months.