Metal bat thug branded "Bob Marley" smashed birthday reveller's jaw in brutal attack
A young man out celebrating his 21st birthday was subjected to a horrific attack with a metal bat which smashed his jaw. Dreadlocked thug Michael Gray apparently took offence to being called Bob Marley and went looking for revenge several hours later.
He jumped out of a car as Josh Shaw walked home from a bar with his partner and viciously attacked him with the bat, knocking him unconscious. Gray, 40, of Glenrothes, was jailed for two years when he appeared for sentencing at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
He previously admitted that on June 22 last year at Caskieberran Road, Glenrothes, he assaulted the man, repeatedly threatened him with violence, challenged him to a fight and repeatedly struck him on the head and body with a baseball bat to his severe injury and permanent impairment.
Depute fiscal Sarah Smith previously told the court that the victim was out with friends for his 21st birthday and they were initially in Pinkertons pub in Glenrothes.
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Gray was also there with friends and his first interchange with the victim was asking if he had put an Oasis song on the jukebox. As Gray was leaving his premises the victim said, 'See you later Bob Marley'.
Gray thought it was a reference to his dreadlocks and was heard saying, 'I'm gonna cave his skull in'. The two groups were later in the Styx bar and Gray angrily warned the victim 'he was not the type of person to have a laugh with and he did not know who he was messing with', added the depute.
At around 1.20am Mr Shaw and his partner left the bar and began walking home when a car pulled up next to them with Gray in the front passenger seat. Gray got out of the car holding a black metal bat, which he used to strike the victim repeatedly on the head and body.
He was knocked unconscious falling to the ground with passers-by calling an ambulance but a police car arrived on the scene shortly afterwards and took him to the hospital. The victim's partner managed to video part of the incident, which included Gray making death threats and a black Vauxhall Zafira then driving off. This led to Gray being traced and arrested.
Mr Shaw required surgery a few days later on his broken jaw. He had a metal plate and screws inserted to hold it together. He has lost feeling in the part of his chin which was struck and has been told this will never return. He also required stitches to a cut lip.
Sheriff James Williamson previously told Gray, 'This was an outrageous, unprovoked and pre-planned assault on a young man causing him significant injury.' Gray submitted his guilty plea in February but the sentencing was delayed on various occasions for reports.
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