Single punch caused life-changing injuries

A SINGLE punch brought a 38-year-old man into court for the first time in his life, and left his father-in-law with life-changing injuries.

The blow delivered by Neil Rimmer, now of 7 Springbank Road, Alyth, caused his victim’s eye socket to crumble and the eye to drop within the man’s face.

He needed to have a titanium plate inserted into his face and to wear a special face mask at night to improve blood circulation and help his body recover from the injury, which has left him with nerve damage and constant pins-and-needles, numbness and pain. He also now suffers from early stages of glaucoma, probably caused by the blow, Sheriff Patrick Hughes heard at Oban Sheriff Court last Tuesday. The men had been at a family party, at a property on Battery Terrace, Oban, watching the New Year fireworks early on January 1 this year when they fell out during ‘an argument over nonsense’, as Rimmer himself admitted.

Rimmer’s mother had died of cancer and he was upset that his wife had gone outside to have a cigarette.

Edward Thornton, Rimmer’s defence agent, said that the accused had never been in trouble before and was of excellent character. He said: ‘It was a momentary lapse he immediately regretted and apologised.’ Rimmer left, and returned the next day to apologise again.

A report prepared on Rimmer, who pleaded guilty to the charge at an earlier hearing, said he was ‘at minimal risk of re-offending’.

The couple have since split, and Rimmer has moved away.

‘It was a total aberration on the part of Mr Rimmer after 38 years of previously excellent character,’ said Mr Thornton.

Sheriff Patrick Hughes said he was shocked by the extent of the injury and he referred to the ‘One punch can ruin two lives’ campaign launched by Police Scotland that has highlighted the fact that over a year one in eight incidences of violent crime in the country involved a single punch.

He placed Rimmer on a 12-month community payback order, and ordered him to do 240 hours of unpaid work and pay £2,000 compensation to his victim.