Moray man’s Belladrum attacker is jailed

A man has been jailed for breaking an innocent bystander’s jaw in an unprovoked attack at the Belladrum music festival.

Michael Anderson was today sent to prison for 30 months after previously admitting a charge of causing severe injury and permanent impairment.

The force of the blow was such that his victim – Adis Delic from Elgin – required three metal plates to be fitted into his face while his jaw healed.

Mr Delic, an offshore worker, was unable to return to the rigs for nine months.

Anderon, who’s aged 27 and lives in Burns Crescent, Muir of Ord, was drinking on the day of the offence – July 29, 2022.

Immediately before attacking Mr Delic, he had just been rejected by an ex-girlfriend who refused his requests to rekindle their relationship.

Anderson's threw a single punch as he ran past his victim who was stood looking the other way while talking on a mobile phone.

Defence solicitor Marc Dickson told Inverness Sheriff Court: "He is deeply remorseful at what occurred. He does not have a great recollection of what happened here but that is no excuse.

"He had been at his grandmother's funeral earlier in the day and had been persuaded by his grandfather to go to the festival.

"He believes he was given a substance which may have been MDMA and he had consumed a large quantity of alcohol. He woke up the following day with no knowledge of what happened until he was advised of the incident and that he had participated."

Jailing Anderson, Sheriff Sara Matheson told him it was her public duty to severely deal with such incidents committed at a family music event.

She added: "You have two previous convictions for assault causing injury and severe injury. This assault was completely unprovoked - and your victim describes it as having filled his days with pain, fear and debilitating anxiety."