Woman loses eye in pellet 'prank'

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A young mother lost an eye after she was shot in the face at point-blank range with an air rifle.

Scott Pratt, 17, from Fife, said he shot at Amanda Condie, 20, as a joke and did not know the weapon was loaded.

He pleaded guilty to culpably and recklessly discharging a firearm, causing severe injury and permanent disfigurement, in August 2006.

Sentence was deferred until next month for background reports at Edinburgh High Court and Pratt remains on bail.

Advocate depute Peter Hammond, prosecuting, said Ms Condie was visiting Pratt's home at the Caretaker's House, an annexe of Baldridgeburn Community Centre in Dunfermline, on 27 August, 2006.

Ms Condie was talking to Pratt's sister Kimberley and had left her 15-month-old son in another room with Kimberley's mother.

The pellet struck Amanda Condie on the bridge of her nose, then into her left eye Peter HammondAdvocate depute

The court heard that Pratt then came in and began talking to the two women.

Ms Condie had her back to him as he reached into a cupboard beside the door and took out his .22 air rifle. He levelled it at the back of Mr Condie's head as his sister looked on.

"Amanda Condie was oblivious," said Mr Hammond.

"The accused then called out 'Amanda'. Amanda Condie turned to look and the accused then pulled the trigger, resulting in the gun firing.

'Disabling injury'

"The pellet struck Amanda Condie on the bridge of her nose, then into her left eye."

When police arrived at the house Ms Condie said the injury had been an accident and she did not wish to make a complaint.

She only changed her mind later when she learned an operation would be needed to remove her damaged eye, the court heard.

Doctors at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee found the pellet had lodged in the young mother's eye and there was no vision.

The accused had aimed at the woman's face

Mr Hammond said: "Amanda was later fitted with an artificial eye. This was there for a horrific disfiguring and disabling injury which will have an enormous impact on this young woman's life."

Pratt said he had not used the rifle for about four months and had not checked to see if it was loaded.

"I went to the cupboard, got the gun out, pointed it at Amanda for a joke as I didn't think it was loaded," he told police officers.

"I pulled the trigger and fired it. Amanda clutched her face and went down.

"We thought she was joking at first until we saw the blood. We panicked, got a towel, put it to her eye and called an ambulance."