Former soldier jailed for assault

AN OBAN ex-soldier has been jailed for punching a man who asked for his partner’s phone number.

Ross Steven MacLellan, 26, of 8c Corran Brae, Oban, pleaded guilty to assaulting the man on January 22 by punching him on the head.

Procurator Alasdair Shaw told Oban Sheriff Court last Wednesday the incident followed a remark to MacLellan’s partner at a public house in Oban.

‘The accused took umbrage and challenged [the complainer] to a fight,’ said Mr Shaw. ‘[ The complainer] sensibly refused and left the pub.

‘He goes across the road to [another bar], where, 15 minutes later, the accused entered and immediately went up to the complainer and punched him on the head.’

Defence agent Jane McLaren said: ‘The remark was that he wanted to go up the road with her and that her phone number was asked for.

‘He accepts he went back to the bar to punch [him].’

Sheriff Ruth Anderson asked: ‘He asked someone where he was? It is getting worse, Ms McLaren.’

Ms McLaren acknowledged the accused’s ‘lengthy and appalling record’: ‘He has clearly had his own drug issues. Up until 2011, they have been all drug related. Further back he does have breaches of the peace and assault charges.’

She said MacLellan had served in the army for three and a half years from 2006, including six months in Afghanistan in 2008.

‘He is on medication for mental health issues,’ she added, ‘for post traumatic stress disorder. It seems recently he has been doing relatively well dealing with his drug problem, now he is in a relationship with his partner.’

Sentencing, Ruth Anderson said: ‘He is going to prison today.

‘You have a lengthy and appalling record. This is another example. The sentence would have been six months. I am reducing it to four months, because of your plea at the first opportunity.’