Dingwall glass-hurling incident after football match leads to prison sentence for 29-year-old as Highland sheriff declares 'no alternative'

A dispute at a party after a football match resulted in a Ross-shire man needing 16 stitches to facial injuries.

Several people were socialising in a house in Fingal Road, Dingwall after the game on October 4, 2018 when the incident occurred.

Inverness Sheriff Court was told that the male victim was one of the revellers and was joined in the house later by 29-year-old Mark Cushnie, of Cherry Drive, Conon Bridge.

Fiscal depute Alex Swain told the court that "for reasons unclear, in anger", Cushnie "recklessly threw a glass" in the direction of his victim, striking him on the face.

An ambulance was called and the man treated in hospital for cuts and swelling to his face and nose.

A piece of glass was also removed from his left eyelid, the court heard.

Cushnie admitted culpable and reckless conduct causing serious injury.

Defence solicitor Graham Mann said: "He accepted what he had done without the need for a trial."

He invited Sheriff Sara Matheson to impose a non-custodial sentence of unpaid work.

But the sheriff jailed Cushnie for 14 months, saying: "This offence occurred very close to your release from custody and you have a previous convictions for an assault with a glass.

"There is no alternative to a custodial sentence."