Elgin High Street ‘machete’-attack youth avoids detention at Inverness Sheriff Court

A youth who left another teenager needing stitches after attacking him with a machete-style blade did so “as a last resort”, it has been claimed.

The accused, who is now aged 17, avoided a period of detention due to the “very exceptional circumstances” of the case.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that the accused had been punched in the face by his 15-year-old victim on Elgin High Street at around 6.15pm on November 16, 2024.

This happened just days after he had been surrounded and assaulted by a group of youngsters, including the victim.

The teenagers - neither of whom can be named due to legal reasons - ended up in a fight and the victim was struck twice on the body and arm with what he told police was "a machete”.

The victim suffered cuts to his chest and bicep, with both requiring two stitches.

Defence lawyer Brent Lockie quoted extracts from the victim’s “remarkably candid” police statement.

The statement said: "I saw him outside the bank and I warned my mate that I was going to smack him.

“I started shouting at him and I think he realised he was not going to get away from me.

“I was holding his jacket and I punched his face several times.

"I pulled away to swing another punch and I looked down and I saw he had a blade."

Fiscal depute Susan Love added: "The incident was captured on CCTV and the accused was seen to conceal the blade in his clothes before walking away.

“The two are known to each other and there was previous animosity between them.

"When he was arrested and interviewed by police he told them: 'I didn't mean to. I am sorry’.”

Mr Lockie said that his client "was not getting away and used the knife as a last resort”.

He added: "He has moved away and turned a corner and is heading in the right direction."

Sheriff Sara Matheson ordered the teenager to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work and placed him under three years of social work supervision.

The Sheriff added: "You have admitted stabbing your victim to his severe injury and such conduct is unacceptable and would normally result in a lengthy custodial sentence.

"But in the very exceptional circumstances, I am persuaded to impose a community disposal because of the provocation, your young age and lack of record.

"However, if there is the merest hint of a breach of this order, it is unlikely I could be persuaded not to send you to detention."