Man attempted to murder sleeping homeless man with baseball bat

A man who attempted to murder a homeless man in an unprovoked attack has been jailed for more than nine years.

Campbell Brett struck Gordon Skillen with a baseball bat as he slept with a group of other men outside a Tesco store in Tomnahurich Street, Inverness, in July.

Jailing Brett at the High Court in Edinburgh, the judge said the 24-year-old had been "utterly reckless" and there was no provocation for the attack.

Lord Ghosh also said there was no evidence Brett sought any help for his victim.

The judge said Brett would have faced a 14-year jail term if he had not pleaded guilty to the crime. He was jailed for nine years and four months.

The judge ordered that Brett should be under supervision for a further three year period when he will be on licence and can be returned to prison if he breaches it.

Brett had earlier admitted assaulting Skillen, 45, to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment and to the danger of his life, and attempting to murder him.

The court heard he had been drinking heavily before launching the attack in the early hours of 13 July.

Brett walked off before returning to ask if Skillin was "dead yet?"

Police were alerted and he walked up to officers and said: "It was me. I done it."

He was interviewed and indicated that he had been annoyed by an earlier comment he had heard Skillin make about him.

The victim sustained multiple fractures to the skull and face and a brain bleed.

He underwent extensive surgery and was placed in an induced coma.

The court heard he was now only able to speak in short sentences and had no feeling down the left side of his body.

Defence counsel Lisa Gillespie KC said that Brett had since spoken of his regret and remorse for his actions, and recognised that he had caused serious harm to the victim.

She said Brett suffered adverse childhood experiences and childhood trauma.

Gillespie said he was now in a steady relationship and was engaged to be married.