A man 'left for dead' in an unprovoked attack has slammed the 'lenient' sentence handed to his attacker.
Stuart Jackson, from Fife, was enjoying an evening out with colleagues in Inverness when he was set upon by Michael Agnew, 35, in June 2023.
Stuart, 51, cracked his head open on a kerb when he was slammed to the ground and was knocked unconscious. Friends thought he was dead as blood poured from his head and Agnew ran off.
The chef has no memory of the events and has had to rely on pals and police to explain what happened.
Stuart told the Record: "It was my last night working at the Kingsmill Hotel in Inverness, so my colleagues suggested we go out for some drinks to celebrate.
"We were out for a couple of hours and were heading back, walking up the High Street, having a laugh, and the next thing I remember is waking up in hospital.
"I'm told this man started accusing the group of laughing at him, saying he wanted a fight. I told him to just walk away, but he pushed me. I didn’t retaliate and just told him again to leave, but he pushed me again and I lost my balance.
"I’m 5ft 11 and 100kg, so he must have hit me with some force.
"My friends said the moment my head hit the kerb was sickening. They saw my eyes roll back and thought I was dead.
"They said it was an awful scene and there was blood pouring out.
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"I was left with a huge wound on my head and I needed seven staples. An MRI thankfully showed I had no substantial brain damage, but doctors said if the impact had been a couple of inches lower then I’d have been paralysed or dead."
Stuart is still suffering from the effects of his injury, including concussion symptoms. And after waiting for months for justice, he believes Agnew got away with a "slap on the wrist" for his dangerous actions.
Agnew, 35, pled guilty at trial at Inverness Sheriff Court to assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement, and impairment in December. Last week, he was spared jail after being sentenced to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £2,500 in compensation.
"This guy was out to cause harm that night," Stuart said. "I could have been anyone because he just wanted to start a fight.
"Unfortunately, it was me, but I feel lucky that I have lived to tell the tale.
"However, I’ve just not been the same person since. I’m really struggling with my short-term memory. I find myself unable to remember simple things at work that I’ve done for the last 30 years.
"I’m still undergoing lots of tests and I had my first epileptic fit just a couple of months after the attack. So doctors are still figuring out what the after effects are.
"My friends say I’m just not myself at all. It’s been a nightmare, to be honest.
"The sentence he got was just shocking to me. This man could have killed me and was a danger on the streets that night for no reason. This gives people the impression that you can just assault someone and you’ll only get a slap on the wrist. What kind of message is that?"
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