Engineer jailed for brutal attack on drinking buddy

An insulation engineer from Falkirk was jailed for 22 months today for brutally beating a drinking buddy, leaving him emotionally scarred and with permanent breathing difficulties.

Sheriff Graeme Napier told Thomas Bain, 30, formerly of Whitelaw Road, Aith, there was no other way to reflect society’s disgust towards such violent attacks than to send him to prison. He was particularly displeased to hear that after pummelling his victim and ignoring his pleas for mercy, Bain had continued his assault until he tired out and then went to the pub to carry on drinking.

He also admitted breaching his bail by phoning the man after having been warned that any contact could land him with a jail sentence of up to five years. Defence agent Tommy Allan said the calls had been an act of sheer stupidity.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard that Bain had a severe alcohol problem but had been off it since November. Earlier in his life he had managed a five-year period on the wagon and had attended Alcoholics Anonymous.

Mr Allan said his client’s risk of offending was directly related to his consumption of alcohol. Essentially he had been repeating the behaviour of his father and he wanted to try and break that pattern. But Sheriff Napier brushed aside the solicitor’s appeal for a non-custodial sentence.

Two weeks ago the court heard that the attack had happened after Bain had been drinking at home all day before joining a late-night party. At about 4am he and the man who became his victim went with a third man to get more drink from a house, which they intended taking to Bain’s to drink. A difference of opinion escalated out of control, leading to Bain launching his vicious attack in Hangcliff Lane.

His victim spent three days in hospital in Lerwick and required nose and cheekbone operations in Aberdeen.

The court was told it was unlikely the man would ever be the same again due to his injuries and how the attack had affected him psychologically.