Such a nice, polite young man: chief inspector's praise for brutal thug

In an extraordinary move, one of Tayside Police's most senior officers wrote a letter praising Darren Gilchrist for his good manners and standards of behaviour.

However, a sheriff said he had no option but to jail Gilchrist and his two co-accused for a brutal attack which left their victim with a badly broken jaw.

Gilchrist, 23, William Mahoney, 22, and Gary Thomson, 23, were all found guilty after a trial of carrying out the Hogmanay attack on Sean McGowan.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that Mr McGowan was repeatedly punched and kicked in the face, head and body until he was severely injured after an exchange of words in the street.

The court was told that the attack, in Market Square, Alyth, Perthshire, during the early hours of New Year's Day 2009, left Mr McGowan needing a plate inserted in his jaw.

Tayside Police Chief Inspector David Barclay told the court he had known Gilchrist from birth and was a friend of his father and mother.

"Since becoming a teenager, Darren has always been a mannerly individual, always polite and respectful," he said. "I would describe him as comparatively shy and reserved."

He added that the 23-year-old was well brought up and had "good qualities instilled in him by both parents".

And he added that he knew his employers, the Wheatley family, would speak glowingly of the apprentice electrician.

Chief Insp Barclay, who was until recently chief inspector in Perth, said at that time, the young man's name had never cropped up in any adverse incidents.

"My sons and daughters all speak well of Darren as a young man who always maintains good standards of behaviour while in their company," he added.

And he said he was "shocked" when he heard Gilchrist had become involved in such a serious incident.

The glowing letter went on to describe him as hard-working, mild-mannered, respectful, genuine, nice, polite, with a settled girlfriend and a "model son for his parents".

He went on: "I am very disappointed in him for his involvement in this matter and can assure you this has had a significant effect on him, and driven home to him the need to carefully choose his associates.

"I have not discussed the incident with Darren.

"As such, I cannot comment on whether he has shown remorse. However, I can be certain in the fact this is out of character for him and caused him to carefully look at his choice of friends."

However, Sheriff Michael Fletcher said that because of the sustained and unprovoked nature of the assault, he had no choice but to send all three to prison.

He said: "This is, I suppose, a tragic and unfortunate case, and a very serious case, because of the injuries caused in the course of a completely unprovoked assault.

"It was an assault which was carried on for a significant length of time.

"I do not think I can deal with it in any other way than by a custodial sentence."

He told Mahoney it had been clear from the evidence that he had aimed the kick which left Mr McGowan with the most serious injury to his jaw.

Mahoney, of New Alyth, was jailed for nine months, while Gilchrist, of Alyth, and Thomson, of Blairgowrie, were sent to prison for five months each.

The trial had been postponed at an earlier stage after the court heard that Thomson's brother Robbie Thomson, 17, had been murdered a few days earlier.

The teenager's body was found in a burn near his home in Coupar Angus, Perthshire.

A man is due to face trial at the High Court later this year in connection with the incident.