Thurso man got broken jaw after taking photos of noisy cars near his home
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A Thurso man who was fed up with cars revving their engines and sounding their horns late at night near his home ended up with broken bones after he took photos of the situation.
David Manson took the pictures with a view to reporting the matter to the police, Wick Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday.
But Shaun Webster, a passenger in one of the vehicles, wasn't happy about the situation being photographed. He got out of his car and, following an exchange of words, punched Mr Manson, who fell to the ground and landed on his right shoulder.
Mr Manson was taken to hospital in Wick and was found to have a fractured jaw and a broken collar bone, the court heard.
Webster (25) was charged with an assault to severe injury and impairment. He pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay Mr Manson compensation of £3000.
Sheriff Mark Lindsay KC was told that the Jet Garage, in Ormlie Road, Thurso, was closed late on October 13, last year but was a favourite meeting place for some drivers.
Fiscal David Barclay said that Mr Manson simply wanted some peace from the noise coming from the vehicles which had congregated on the forecourt, not for the first time.
He was interrupted as he was taking the photos by Webster, who got out of one of the vehicles and wanted to know what Mr Manson was doing.
Mr Barclay said that words were exchanged and Webster lashed out with a single punch which resulted in Mr Manson falling to the ground.
Webster got back into his friend's car which drove away.
However, the accused returned to the forecourt a short time later and apologised to Mr Manson who was being assisted by the occupant of another parked vehicle.
Mr Barclay said that Webster opened the door of the car and offered to shake Mr Manson's hand but the gesture was declined. An ambulance crew attended and assessed his injuries.
It appeared to the paramedics that Mr Manson's collarbone had snapped due to it sitting in an unusual position beneath the skin. Mr Manson was advised to go to Caithness General Hospital for x-rays the following day and he was provided with a sling.
Mr Barclay said that the x-rays confirmed a fracture to the collar bone and three breaks to the jaw, one of which had occurred below his lip in the centre of the jaw.
The doctor who examined Mr Manson said that it would have taken a very strong punch to break the jaw in three places – it would have been "a heck of a punch".
Mr Manson was advised that the broken collar bone would take up to eight weeks to heal properly and that the jaw would require surgery.
That evening, Mr Manson was admitted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary's Maxillo Facial Unit and underwent surgery which involved the insertion of two titanium plates.
Mr Barclay said that Webster, of St Clair Avenue, Scrabster, was interviewed under caution.
Webster claimed to police officers that Mr Manson had been "raging" and appeared to be threatening and maintained that he, the accused, had acted in self-defence.
Sheriff Lindsay took into account that Webster, a fisherman-shepherd, had returned to the scene of the incident soon after it occurred and that there had been an element of provocation in the assault, although that did not excuse the accused's actions.
The sheriff saw a background report, and a victim statement from Mr Manson. It stated that the consequences of the assault had impacted on his hobbies including his engagement with the local pipe band.
Sheriff Lindsay added that the assault required "fairly significant" compensation.
