Boozer speared pal with pool cue

Published 28 Apr 2012 09:30

A RAGING pool player speared the tip of his cue ONE CENTIMETRE beneath his best pal's right eye after hurling it at him "like a javelin".

Sozzled Kirk Miller, 26, lost the plot when his boyhood mate laughed at his failure to hit the cue ball after an eight-hour drinking session in the Jack Dempseys pub, Alexandria.

The shocking attack - which was caught on CCTV - was played at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last Wednesday as shame-faced Miller stood in the dock.

The court heard that Miller's friend had to undergo surgery at the Southern General Hospital where surgeons removed the metal cue tip from under his right eye.

Fiscal Depute Malcolm McLeod told the court Miller was playing pool in the pub with another man when he was joined by a group of his friends, including his victim, at around 10pm.

Miller's pal had already joked about his feeble attempts to play earlier before he laughed again at around 11pm.

Mr Mcleod said: "The accused took hold of the pool cue, held it up like a javelin and threw it towards the complainer.

"The metal tip of the pool cue hit the complainer one centimetre from his right eye.

"The metal tip snapped off from the wooden end of the pool cue leaving it embedded.

"The complainer was thrown back in his chair.

"Blood started coming out of the wound and help was obtained and an ambulance and police were involved. From the video the accused appeared quite shocked by what had happened."

Miller's lawyer Tom Brown told the court that the pair had been friends since primary school and that his client "deeply, deeply regrets" his behaviour.

He added: "It's maybe hard to tell from the television but it does show his reaction to this incident.

"He felt physically sick.

"All the people you see in that video are friends and out on a night out.

"The effect it has had on Mr Miller is he hasn't drunk since that incident."

The court heard Miller and his victim remained friends although the relationship "had changed" as a consequence.

Miller, of Dalvait Road, Balloch, pled guilty to culpably and recklessly throwing a pool cue at his friend's head, causing his injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment on February 26 last year.

Sheriff William Dunlop said Miller displayed an "outrageous disregard" for his victim but added he was satisfied he had shown a considerable degree of regret for his actions.

Miller was ordered to carry out 300 hours unpaid work and to adhere to a 12-month supervision requirement where he must attend appointments with social workers.

He was also ordered to pay his victim £2,500 in compensation.

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