Man who savagely bit end of person's nose in Aviemore brawl avoids jail
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An Aviemore tourist who savagely bit the end of another man's nose off during a nightclub scuffle has narrowly avoided jail time.
Stephen Cosgrove (30) had been visiting The Vault club in the village when he was asked to leave, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
He had been in a row with a man in the early hours of March 6, last year, after an altercation while visiting the toilets.
After being taken out the fire exit a fight ensued in which the end of the man's nose was severely bitten, fiscal depute Robert Weir told the court.
The prosecutor said the man would require plastic surgery to fix the damage to his face.
Cosgrove, of Snabhead View, Bannockburn, Stirling, previously admitted punching the man on his head and body as well as biting him on the face to his injury and permanent disfigurement.
He also admitted assaulting a bouncer on the same night at the venue by punching him on the body.
A third charge of culpable and reckless conduct was admitted by spitting in the presence of the doorman.
Sentence had been deferred for the preparation of background report.
Solicitor advocate Shahid Latif said an 'enjoyable weekend had descended into something no-one could have predicted' adding that Cosgrove's behaviour was due to a 'heavy use of intoxicants'.
Addressing the serious nature of the assault, Mr Latif said: "Frankly he is very worried that his world will shortly be nothing but four walls.
"He is shocked at his behaviour."
Sheriff Gary Aitken said although the threshold for imposing a jail term had been breached he was satisfied he could deal with the matter by way of a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody.
Cosgrove will have to carry out 225 hours of unpaid work in the community and pay his victim £1000 in compensation.
He will also be under the supervision of social workers for the next two years.
