Man jailed for paedophile attack

The court heard the attack was "sustained and vicious"

A man who boasted to friends after leaving a paedophile scarred for life has been jailed for 13 months.

Mark Thomson, 31, from Dundee, attacked Ian Robertson after finding him drinking with girls as young as 14.

Robertson had previously been convicted of having sex with a 14-year-old in 2002 after being granted bail on an identical charge.

Thomson admitted assaulting Robertson, 33, by repeatedly punching and kicking him on the head and body.

The attack happened at Robertson's home in St Catherine's Square, Perth, on 9 August.

Fiscal depute Chris Macintosh told Perth Sheriff Court: "The complainer has previous convictions which might lead people to suspect his intentions while young people are in his home.

"A procession of people of various ages went back and forth and drinking took place during the day. There was an argument and the word 'beast' was used."

There is no question of the court being prepared to tolerate you taking the law into your own hands in this way Sheriff Michael Fletcher

He added that the assault was "fairly sustained" and there was blood splatter on the walls.

Mr Macintosh said the police were called and found the victim with injuries which showed he had "taken a bit of a battering".

The court was told that Thomson had only been freed from Perth Prison, after serving a seven-month sentence for dishonesty, a day earlier.

Sheriff Michael Fletcher told Thomson: "This was a sustained and vicious assault.

"There is no question of the court being prepared to tolerate you taking the law into your own hands in this way.

"It simply isn't acceptable. There are previous assaults on your record and this can only be dealt with by way of a custodial sentence."