Inverness shop worker hit with Smirnoff Ice bottle days after attacker released from prison

The 21-year-old man was drunk when he walked into the shop in Inverness just after 7am and began taking items off the shelves.

Nathan Bell, of Oldtown Road, Inverness, was told by a member of staff to stop making a mess or he would call the police.

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but Inverness Sheriff Court heard that after Bell left the premises with a bottle of Smirnoff Ice, an employee chased him down and asked him to return it.

However, this prompted Bell to swing the bottle and hit the man in the chest with it.

Bell admitted assaulting a retail worker at Station News in Farraline Park on September 12, 2023.

Samantha Morrison, defending, said: “This offense was committed the day after he was released from prison.

Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald ordered Bell to remain under social work supervision for a year and take part in an offender rehabilitation programme.

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