Sikh jailed for life – threatening assault

A Sikh who had passed his driving test only two days earlier caused a pedestrian a life-threatening head injury when he punched him to the ground in a roadside argument.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Joth Singh admitted the assault, which took place in November 2007, and was jailed for 17 and a half months.

The court heard that his victim, Eric Wingate, 31, suffered a fractured skull and needed emergency surgery. He had to have titanium skull plates fitted and has since suffered panic attacks, headaches, nausea and breakdowns and can no longer work full-time.

Singh admitted causing him severe injury, endangering his life and leaving him permanently impaired and disfigured.

He got out of his car in Edinburgh’s old town and attacked Mr Wingate, from Australia, when the pedestrian kicked his car after colliding with the vehicle.

Singh, a father of two, was found at an address in Piershill Square East. He claimed he did not know that Mr Wingate was unconscious when he drove off in his car, which his lawyer said was his pride and joy.

Singh was sent to prison for 33 months in August 2005 for acting as a heroin courier.

He was released early in August 2006 but at Edinburgh High Court in August this year was ordered to serve the unexpired three-month portion of his original sentence.