Moray man to be sentenced for assault with baseball bat in St Margaret's Crescent, Lossiemouth

A 28-year-old is to be sentenced after admitting to striking a man with a baseball bat and leaving him with life-threatening injuries.

Inverness Sheriff Court was told it had been accepted that Thomas Maclean, from Lossiemouth, had been acting under provocation when Mark Townsley sustained a head wound that endangered his life.

Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald was told that the incident occurred after MacLean's mother had been stabbed in the chest with a broken bottle after a drinking session earlier this year.

The incident took place at St Margaret's Crescent, Lossiemouth, on February 13, at around 10pm.

Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh said there was a struggle between Townsley, who has denied several charges arising from the same incident, and MacLean.

Townsley was hit on the back of the head and taken to Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin.

Scans did not reveal any internal injuries, but the court heard Townsley suffered a large loss of blood and required to be transferred to the high dependency unit.

On being charged, MacLean said he had been hit on the head with a bottle.

MacLean will be sentenced on August 26 after a background report has been prepared. He was again remanded in custody.