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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Tim Bugler

Drunken thug who bottled ex's dad and tried to 'gouge his eyes out' cadged

A drunken blacksmith who bottled his kids' grandad and tried to gouge his eyes out, was jailed for 16 months today.

Robert Alexander, 33, shouted at the older man's windows as he walked past after a drinking binge, saying he'd "show him what he'd do".

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard that Alexander, 33, had previously been in a relationship with the daughter of James Allison, 57.

Mr Allison decided to "to speak to him about his conduct" and went round to Alexander's home in Denny, Stirlingshire, where the metal fabricator had by then "crashed out" on the sofa.

Prosecutor Karen Chambers said this resulted in them having "a physical altercation", and the two men ended up on the floor.

Ms Chambers said: "The accused sat on top of James Allison and made attempts to gouge his eyes out using his fingers.

"There was a history of animosity between the pair."

Mr Allison's daughter, and Alexander's mother, then arrived on the scene and did their best to separate the two men.

Mr Allison's daughter began to escort her father home, but as they walked away, Alexander came up behind Mr Allison and struck him on the back of the head with a glass bottle, which smashed.

Ms Chambers said: "Police were called and a large pool of blood was observed and, further along the path, a substantial amount of broken glass."

Alexander was arrested, while Mr Allison was taken to hospital where he received six stitches -- three to a cut on his cheek and three to a laceration above his right eyebrow.

He was also treated for "blunt force trauma" to both of his eyes.

The court heard he had been left with "visible scars".

Alexander, of Denny, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Allision to injury and permanent disfigurement. The incident occurred on April 15 2020 in Brewster Place, Denny.

Solicitor Willie McIntyre, defending, said: "Mr Alexander had been out that night. He doesn't have too many days off but when he does, he does tend to have quite a lot to drink.

"He'd had a fair amount on this particular evening.

"His house is 500 metres from Mr Allison's and walking past on his way home, in this condition, he couldn't resist a shout at Mr Allison.

"My client's position, then, is that, not expecting a visitor late at night -- and Mr Allison entered the premises without having knocked at the door or asked permission to access it -- a struggle took place.

"The women separated the men and the daughter dragged her father away.

"On the short path outside the door it all went wrong.

"Mr Alexander, fairly angry at Mr Allison being at his house and at what had taken place, ran up and smacked Mr Allison on the back of the head with a bottle."

Mr McIntyre said Alexander had two children to Mr Allison's daughter.

He said: "He works hard and is something of a doting father."

Imposing the 16-month jail term, Sheriff Christopher Shead said it had been "a very significant offence".

He added: "The court is satisfied that the threshold for a custodial sentence has been met."

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