A THUG jailed for assaulting a man with a crutch in Irvine town centre claimed he was only trying to protect a woman.
Christopher Leishman left another man scarred for life following the attack on Bank Street on August 8 last year.
The 35-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge of assault when he appeared in the dock at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court this week.
The incident occurred shortly before 9pm on the day in question, prosecutor Craig Wainwright told the court.
At this time, a man and a woman were sitting on a bench near the area when Leishman ran towards them.
Another man was chasing after him and the pair had a disagreement before Leishman was struck in the head.
He then told the man to go away before a struggle ensued.
The man who had been sitting nearby then took a crutch from the woman he had been with and struck the other male with it.
Parties were then separated and Leishman, alongside the other man, made their way across the road away from the male.
The pair, alongside the woman, started to walk away from the scene before the other male ran up to them once again and took the crutch, which had been returned to the female witness.
The male - who was described as being intoxicated - placed it on a nearby bench and moved off from the scene.
This prompted Leishman to return before a verbal exchange ensued. He then took the crutch from the bench and followed the other male, whom he struck to the head and upper body several times with the implement.
The fight spilled onto the roadway where Leishman continued to strike the man while moving away.
The altercation stopped after the other male took the crutch from Leishman and threw it to the ground.
Police had been alerted to the ongoing matter by members of the public and a remote North Ayrshire CCTV operator.
Officers attended and the male who had been struck was found on a nearby road "heavily injured with his face covered in blood".
Leishman was later traced nearby before being arrested, cautioned and charged.
The court was told that the injured man was later taken to hospital where it was found he had a six-centimetre laceration on scalp, which will result in permanent scarring, as well as bruising to his chest and head and a fractured finger.
Defending, solicitor Megan Jack admitted that Leishman "expects a substantial sentence" having only been released from a previous sentence around three weeks before the attack.
"He was homeless and living on the streets at the time of the incident," Miss Jack added. "He was intoxicated through drink or drugs at the time."
The lawyer also highlighted that her client had initially walked away after the first altercation, "but made the decision to walk back".
She added: "He says he was angered as he took the view that the other male was trying to hit the woman."
CCTV footage which captured the incident was also played to the court, with Leishman stating “I am trying to protect the woman” several times from within the dock.
Miss Jack continued: "He wanted to try and assist how he thought was the best way to deal with the situation. He accepts his involvement and that it was he who caused most of the injuries.
"He has expressed remorse and was eager to resolve matters."
Sheriff Nicola Patrick sentenced Leishman to two years in prison for the offence, backdated to his initial remand on August 9 last year.
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