Hammer accused jailed-full update

[Nwicker60]

Court hears of one-day assault spree in town
A THURSO man embarked on a series of assaults which put two residents in hospital, with an early morning visit to an address in the town-armed with a hammer.
Jason Reilly, 25, entered a flat at 8 St John’s House around 2am on May 4, and struck occupant Lee Mackenzie, repeatedly on his head to his severe injury, in two separate attacks, Wick Sheriff Court was told yesterday.
A friend, Catherine Davis, attempted to defend Mr Mackenzie but was caught up in the incident in which she was hit on the head with the hammer, but fortunately sustained only superficial injury.
However, said senior fiscal depute, David Barclay, Mr Mackenzie was found to have multiple injuries on being taken to hospital, including a cut on the back of his scalp and fractures to his right cheek bone and shoulder.
A short time later, the scene at another house, in Thurso, in Brownhill Road, saw Reilly and another man trying to force their way in and the occupants attempting to keep them out.
Mr Barclay said: “It was almost like a stand-off. One resident, Andrew Sutherland had been asleep. The accused swung his hammer twice but it never made contact. Mr Sutherland had picked up a hammer with which to fend Reilly off and the attack fizzled out without injury.”
In the late evening, Liam Henderson was out walking his dog, in Naver Park, Thurso, when he was approached by Reilly and another man. Mr Henderson was warned to leave a certain woman alone, an argument developed and escalated to the point where he was punched and kicked repeatedly on his head and body to his severe injury.
Mr Barclay said: “Mr Henderson thinks he was unconscious for a short time but was then able to make his way to a telephone and contact the police. He was treated in hospital for bruises and a fractured fibula, close to his ankle was broken and he required surgery and the insertion of a plate. There was swelling and bruising scattered across the rest of his body.”
Mr Barclay added that it was clear that Reilly had not been acting alone.
Reilly, described as a prisoner at Inverness prison, pleaded guilty to four assaults, on indictment and admitted a record.
Ian Jane said that the offences had not been Reilly’s idea but someone else, unidentified, but the accused had gone along with it.
The solicitor continued: “Reilly accepts he should not have become involved. He has a history of drink and drug abuse and was certainly under the influence of various substances at the time.”
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood observed that the charges had not specified Reilly as having acted with another person. The accused had certainly been involved art and part.
The sheriff told Reilly: “This is a case of you running wild through the streets of Thurso assaulting anyone you felt like assaulting, while accompanied by another person. You chose to go along with it and must bear the consequences. A prison sentence is the only one I can impose.”
Reilly was jailed for three years, backdated to May 8 when he was arrested.