A DUNS man who severely injured his brother after striking him on the head with a saw has been ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Mathew Law, 26, of Station Drive, pleaded guilty to the assault and permanent disfigurement of his sibling at a house in Blinkbonny Gardens, Duns, on September 19 last year.

He also admitted a charge of attempting to perverting the course of justice.

Fiscal Kirsty Lyons explained the victim had turned up at the house uninvited at 2.40am and started arguing.

She continued: "The accused picked up a saw which was lying next to the property.

"He struck the complainer on the head with the saw.

"The complainer fell to the ground and was bleeding heavily from the injury.

"He was transferred to Borders general Hospital at 3am."

Ms Lyons said Law contacted his partner to say he had acted in self-defence and asked her to say she was in the house with him at the time of the incident.

The victim's injuries involved a cut above the eyebrow right down to the bone and a deep scar across his nose and the loss of feeling on the right hand side of his head.

Defence lawyer Ed Hulme said Law's brother was being belligerent and pointed out he and his friends had turned up at the house uninvited after being out drinking.

Sheriff Peter Paterson told the factory worker the only reason he was not getting a custodial sentence was that it was an unsolicited visit.

In addition to the unpaid work, Law was put on supervision for 20 months.