Two Beauly-Denny powerline workers jailed for attack

Two Fife men who were working on the Beauly to Denny power line were jailed following an incident when two men were attacked.

Dale Garnett, from Lochgelly, and Russell Elliot, from Dunfermline, were each jailed for 15 months by Sheriff David Sutherland.

He heard the pair had been out drinking in a pub in Drumnadrochit on the evening of March 22 last year.

Depute fiscal Roderick Urquhart told the court there was an argument with a woman which ended up in some shouting and swearing and when they left the bar the woman went into her family home in Balmacaan Road and her father, Alasdair Cameron, came outside.

"He came out with a walking stick then a fight broke out and it became clear the two men were getting the better of Mr Cameron who ended up on the ground getting punched and kicked."

Mr Urquhart said a neighbour, Craig Ellis, came out of his house to try and separate the parties.

"He took hold of Garnett by the neck and the two of them seem to have fallen against a fence."

But Mr Urquhart said Elliot then punched Mr Ellis repeatedly on the head.

Garnett, (30), of Glen Craig, Lochgelly and Elliot, (23), of Inzivar Terrace, Oakley admitted on March 23 in Balmacaan Road assaulting Mr Cameron by punching him and kicking him on the head and body to his severe injury.

Elliot admitted a further charge of assaulting Mr Ellis by repeatedly punching him on the head and body to his injury.

Mr Urquhart said Mr Cameron sustained a fractured left cheek and Mr Ellis grazing to his face.

Eildih Macdonald, solicitor said Garnett had lost his job on the Beauly to Denny line as a result of the incident.

She said he had been out watching the football with his friend and began walking back to their accommodation when an argument began with one of the girls who was in their company.

"A big man came out of one of the houses one of the girls ran into. He accepts the two of them got the better of Mr Cameron."

She said Garnett didn’t have a significant record but had taken steps to refrain from misusing alcohol.

Marc Dickson for Elliot said he too was here working on the power line. They left the bar when matters took a turn for the worse and he was remorseful for all that had taken place.

Sheriff Sutherland told both men the offences appeared to have occurred after a lengthy drinking session.

"Whatever sparked it off is neither here not there. The father went out to remonstrate and was attacked."

He said he took into account their limited previous record of convictions but added: "I do not consider I can deal with this other than by a custodial sentence."

Both were jailed 15 months for the attack on Mr Cameron and Elliot was sentenced to a further nine months for the assault on Mr Ellis but both sentences are to run concurrently.

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