Men convicted after stone attack

The court heard Mr Geddes lost an eye in the attack

Two men who attacked their victim with a stone and left his body submerged in a stream have been jailed at the High Court in Aberdeen.

Graeme Gray, 30, and Ronald Smith, 29, assaulted Murray Geddes, outside a bar in Rothes, Moray on 23 September 2007.

Mr Geddes lost an eye in the attack and was left permanently injured.

Gray was jailed for seven years for attempted murder. Smith was sentenced to six years after being found guilty of a reduced charge.

The court was told the men attacked Mr Geddes outside the Victoria Bar. They hit him over the head with a stone, kicked and punched him and left him in the stream near Keith, Moray.

Judge Lord Malcolm said it was lucky that Mr Geddes was found in the water.

'Vicious attack'

He told Gray: "You have been convicted of a very serious assault and the attempted murder of Mr Geddes.

"Mr Geddes suffered the loss of an eye. Clearly this was a vicious attack. Because of where you left Mr Geddes, it was only through good fortune this did not end more seriously.

"You did not carry any weapon to the scene, however, I must have regard for the nature and gravity of the offence and the serious consequences for Mr Geddes."

Smith was convicted of assaulting Mr Geddes to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment to the danger of life.

The court heard he had been previously been convicted of two serious assaults eight years ago.

Lord Malcolm told Smith a lengthy prison term was the only option.

He said: "You participated in a very serious assault on Mr Geddes and were responsible for the loss of his eye.

"I am bound to take your record into account in determining your sentence."

After a five-day trial the jury took two hours to return a unanimous verdict of guilty for Smith. They found Gray guilty by majority.

Both had originally denied the attack.

Gray's lawyer, defence solicitor advocate Bill Adam, and Smith's solicitor, David Moggach QC, said both men were full of remorse.