Unprovoked assault that broke OAP’s jaw ends in jail sentence

Court: Man who punched 73-year-old ‘because he felt like it’ gets 18 months

A 24-year-old Inverness man who inflicted a double jaw fracture on a retired accountant “because he felt like it” was jailed for 18 months yesterday.

Zeke McKnight, of Woodlands Brae, Inverness, was found guilty by a jury majority at Inverness Sheriff Court in August of punching Gordon Moggach, 73, in the face to his severe injury.

Sentence was deferred until September for a background report but when McKnight, who had previously been jailed for a serious assault, turned up at court to be dealt with he absconded on learning he was likely to be jailed.

He was re-arrested a month later and remanded in custody while background reports were prepared.

Defence solicitor Clare Russell said McKnight had had “a fractured and chaotic childhood” and had been diagnosed with a complex post traumatic stress disorder.

She added: “Alcohol and illicit substances played a large role as he sued them to block out those traumas.

“This was a serious, nasty and unprovoked assault on an elderly man”

But he is at the stage where he is willing to accept help.”

Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald said there was no alternative to jail, saying: “This was a serious, nasty and unprovoked assault on an elderly man going about his business.”

The trial heard that Mr Moggach, now 76, was out for an evening walk when he was attacked a short distance from his home near Kingsmills Road.

Evidence against McKnight was circumstantial as neither Mr Moggach nor an eye witness could identify him.

However they were able to give a description which tied in with other witnesses who had seen McKnight in the area at the time, around 5.30pm on March 16 2017.

All described him as tall, slim, in his early 20s, wearing a blue anorak and dark jeans, and carrying a backpack.

The court was told the pensioner asked why McKnight had done it and the reply was: “Because I felt like it.”

Mr Moggach then followed McKnight for a short distance before he was warned he would be hurt more if he continued.

Minutes later McKnight entered Crown Stores on Kingsmills Road to buy a bottle of Buckfast.

Shop assistant Muriel Macdonaldwasabletogive his name as she had asked him for ID to prove his age.

Two more witnesses came forward within 24 hours and identified McKnight as being in the relevant area relevant time.

Mr Moggach was treated at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, but the next day had surgery in Aberdeen to insert a plate in his jaw. at the

GUILTY: Zeke McKnight, 24, was convicted by a jury at Inverness Sheriff Court