A MAN who fractured the eye socket of his ex-partner's boyfriend after sneaking up behind him with his face covered and attacking him with a hammer has been ordered to pay the victim compensation.

Darrio Quiggley was spared a jail sentence and instead told to pay £1,000 to the man after severely injuring and permanently scarring him in the serious assault in Troon last year.

The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to the offence, which was committed in the town's Templehill.

A prosecutor told a hearing at Ayr Sheriff Court: "He first appeared from custody on March 20, 2023. He made no plea and was committed for further examination. Bail was sought and granted.

"The complainer was 21 and in a relationship with [a female] on the date of the offence, who was in a prior relationship with the accused.

"On Saturday, March 18, 2023, they were on night out in Prestwick. At 10.45pm they were walking along Templehill in Troon. The accused was wearing all black with a snood covering his face.

“He approached the complainer from behind in possession of a hammer then struck him to the head two or three times, causing him to bleed.

"He then pulled his snood down to reveal his identity. The [female] witness was yelling for him to stop and put the hammer down.

"The accused chased the complainer and [the female witness] got involved, grabbing the accused by his hood and asking what he was doing. The accused ran off, entering a car park, and she followed. She saw he had only one trainer on at this time and got into a car with another male known to her.

"She opened the door and grabbed the hammer while he held on to it. He then got out the car and ran away with his friend."

The procurator fiscal depute added: "Police and ambulance services provided details of the car registration. 

“The complainer had no recollection but recalls waking up covered in blood and heard screaming. Police attended but due to the long wait for an ambulance he was conveyed to Ayr Hospital by police officers.

“The hammer was found within the vehicle registered to the accused."

Police arrested and charged Quiggley after attending his mother's home the night after the attack.

The injuries suffered by the victim included a one-two centimetre laceration to the back of his head, which was glued, a one centimetre cut to his index finger, two chipped teeth, two three-centimetre lacerations at his eye socket, a fracture to the eye socket and permanent scarring.

Sentence was deferred for criminal justice social work reports and bail was continued for Quiggley, of Pennant Court, Irvine.

When he returned to court last week, defence solicitor Alex Muir said: “He is a 23-year-old single man and lives with his mother. He is in full time employment.

"He had always indicated he would take responsibility.

"There is nothing I want to add to the facts, and nothing I can say. It's important to point out he understands how serious this is and anticipates custody. Various facts may point to a community disposal.

"He comes from a stable background and has a good employment record. He has addressed difficulties that led to this matter."

Addressing Quiggley, Sheriff Mhairi MacTaggart said: "It is obvious to me you now understand how serious it is to assault someone to severe injury and permanent disfigurement - in circumstances I still can't get my head around.

"I could send you to custody and not be criticised, but for a number of reasons - your age, accepting responsibility and the seriousness of it, I am prepared to step back from that."

He was placed on community payback order for 30 months and told to complete 225 hours of unpaid work.

He must also pay £1,000 to the victim.