Attacker told to pay £500 to his victim

A DRUNKEN man who knocked a young woman to the ground, fracturing her skull, because he thought she and her friends were talking about him, has been placed on probation for two years and ordered to pay his victim £500 compensation.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday Benjamin Hammond, 21, of Cables Wynd House, Leith, was also made subject to a Restriction of Liberty Order, meaning he has to stay in his home between 10pm and 6am.

Hammond had pleaded guilty previously to assaulting 28-year old Helen Miller in Muirfield Gardens, Loanhead, on May 22 this year. Sentence was deferred for reports.

Ms Miller suffered a fractured skull and some internal bleeding but has since made a full recovery. Sheriff Frank Crowe was given a letter of apology written by Hammond and said it would be passed on to Ms Miller. He told Hammond it had been a disgraceful attack.