A Galashiels man who assaulted his friend just a day after being released early from prison has been ordered to serve the remaining four months of his sentence.
In addition, Rory Morrison was given another 96 days in jail for punching Kevin Wilkinson in the face during a drunken bust-up over a smashed bottle of vodka in the town’s Talisman Avenue on December 14.
Prosecutor Graham Fraser told Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday that the 26-year-old had been released from jail on December 13 and was arrested the following day. Morrison had been held in custody since then.
Mr Fraser said Mr Wilkinson was taken to Borders General Hospital and kept on observation through the night after falling to the ground.
He added: “Neighbours are being disturbed at this time of night by this kind of behaviour.”
Morrison’s solicitor, Ross Dow, said: “He had just been released from custody and got carried away.
“He has been remanded over Christmas and New Year, and is very much caught up in the revolving door at Her Majesty’s prison, Edinburgh.”
He asked for a community-based disposal as an alternative to custody.
But Sheriff Peter Paterson said he doubted whether Morrison had the ability to exist in the community without offending, given the short space of time he had been released and arrested again.