Inverness man sentenced for biting off part of Buckie man’s nose in fight

Police recovered a piece of a Buckie man's nose from his garden after it was bitten off in a fight.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that 20-year-old Thomas Stewart of Longman Caravan Site, Inverness, bit off part of Colin Reid’s nose during the struggle on September 1, 2023.

Stewart appeared for sentence before Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald and was represented by Inverness solicitor David Patterson.

A background report had previously been prepared, after he pleaded guilty to a charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

The court heard that officers were dispatched to Mr Reid’s home at Milton Drive, Buckie, following an anonymous tip-off that the bitten man had a significant injury.

Fiscal depute Emily Hood said Mr Reid initially would not say what had happened to him but was taken to hospital where he alleged a dog had bitten him.

However, the prosecutor said the man later admitted having been assaulted by Stewart.

Stewart later told police that Mr Reid had been on top of him during the struggle, where he said he had got "a doing."

"I did what I had to do to get him off me," Stewart added.

Ms Hood said Mr Reid had to undergo plastic surgery to repair the damage.

Mr Patterson said his client had become addicted to crack cocaine at a young age after becoming involved with an older woman.

"But he is now in a stable relationship and when he is sober, he is a pleasant young man,” he added.

“Both were as bad as each other in this incident which escalated when they were rolling about on the ground.

“He has been on remand for 280 days."

However, Sheriff Macdonald said she was concerned that Stewart was assessed by social workers as being at high risk of reoffending.

She said: "This was a terrible act of violence for a young man.

“It was appalling.

“Even although you have served a long period on remand, I am not going to draw a line under this today.

“You will carry out 150 hours of unpaid work which should keep you busy and hopefully out of trouble.

“And you will be under supervision for one year.

"If you don't co-operate, you will be going back to jail."