Buckie man spared jail after 'serious assault' on householder
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A BUCKIE man severely injured an innocent homeowner by repeatedly punching him in the face as he stood on his own doorstep.
Conor Cowie (27) had been drinking all day when he returned to a house for an after party.
However Cowie, of Titness Street, had the wrong home and when he was denied entry by the owner the incident occurred.
Cowie appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court last Thursday after sentencing had been deferred for a background report.
At an earlier hearing Cowie pleaded guilty to assaulting the man by repeatedly punching him on the head causing him to fall repeatedly to the ground all to his severe injury and permanent impairment at McIntosh Avenue, Buckie, on August 4 last year.
Last Thursday, Cowie’s solicitor Matthew O’Neill told the court that Cowie had been part of a wedding party and had been out that day celebrating a blackening, an opportunity for those to get together and have some fun with the bride and groom.
Mr O’Neill added: “Alcohol had been consumed to excess and he wouldn’t ordinarily do this.
“He is an offshore worker, working a month on and a month off, and describes himself as a social drinker.
“He had been at the pubs and clubs and then went on to go to a house party.
“However, he attended at the wrong home and was two doors from it at the complainer’s.
“Mr Cowie made attempts to get in and the complainer got involved and ordered him away from the door.
“Mr Cowie couldn’t understand why he was doing that and words were exchanged.”
Cowie then carried out the attack on the man, which left his victim with a fractured right cheek and eye socket.
Mr O’Neill added: “Mr Cowie has taken full responsibility for the matter and has done from the outset.
“He appreciates the use of alcohol does not excuse his behaviour, but is the background to the incident.
“This is evidently out of character for Mr Cowie. He hasn’t been able to apologise to the complainer because of the bail.
“Mr Cowie’s intention to make a sincere and profuse apology to him.”
Sheriff Chris Dickson told Cowie said: “This was an extremely serious assault on someone you didn’t know caused by your intoxication.
“The man was left with serious injuries, which were a fractured right cheek and eye socket.”
As an alternative to custody Sheriff Dickson ordered Cowie to carry out a community payback order comprising £3000 compensation, 300 hours of unpaid work and supervision for one year.
