Man jailed for brutal steel toe-cap boot attack

Malcolm Ritchie went to his partner’s home early in the morning and assaulted long-time friend Thomas Rush when he opened the door.

The victim was knocked to the ground and kicked with steel toe-capped work boots, resulting in a broken wrist. Ritchie stamped on his body and also tried to stamp on his head.

He claimed he “saw red” when the door was opened and said his partner had been “winding him up” by sending images earlier.

Ritchie (31) of Quality Street, Dysart, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He previously admitted that on March 23 at Westwood Avenue, Kirkcaldy, and elsewhere, he sent threatening messages, repeatedly uttered threats of violence and threw his body against the front door in an attempt to gain entry.

He also assaulted Thomas Rush by seizing him by the body, placing him in a headlock, dragged him down stairs, causing him to fall to the ground and whilst wearing steel toe-cap boots repeatedly attempted to stamp on his head and then repeatedly stamped on his body, all to his severe injury.

Depute fiscal Claire Bremner said Ritchie and his partner’s relationship was described as “on/off” at the time of the incident.

She told the court Ritchie and the victim had been friends for around 20 years having gone to school together.

Ritchie’s partner had been having a night out with friends when she “bumped into Mr Rush”. She invited him and others back to her home that night.

At 7am one of the woman’s female friends had been picked up from the house.

She is also a friend of Ritchie and shortly afterwards he started sending messages to his girlfriend making it clear that he was unhappy that Mr Rush and others were at the house.

Ritchie told her he was going there and he also contacted the partner of Mr Rush.

She too made her way to the property and arrived there at around the same time as Ritchie, who was shouting, swearing and trying to barge his way through the front door.

Mr Rush opened the door and was immediately attacked by Ritchie.

The depute went on, “He took hold of him, placed him in a headlock and dragged him down four steps. Mr Rush fell to the ground and as he lay there, the accused attempted to stamp on and kick his head.

“The complainer managed to raise his hands to stop the blows striking his head. However, the accused then stamped on his left wrist three or four times.

“Mr Rush’s partner intervened and pulled the accused away.”

The victim later attended the Victoria Hospital where it was found he had suffered a fractured wrist and a plaster cast was applied.

Ritchie later contacted the victim to apologise. He claimed he “saw red” when the door was opened and his partner had been “winding him up” by sending images earlier.

Police were later contacted.

Defence solicitor Roshni Joshi said, “He accepts the serious nature of the offences. He’s remorseful for his actions and the injury.”

Sheriff Alastair Brown told Ritchie that stamping on someone’s head as he tried to do can result in caused catastrophic and fatal injuries. He jailed him for 27 months.