ATTACKING INNOCENT STRANGERS
Vicious youth gets off on lesser charge
TWO families clashed yesterday as a schoolboy was convicted of killing junior footballer Shaun Woodburn in a New Year brawl.
The youth was 16 when he delivered a fatal punch to the young dad during a mass brawl outside a bar in Edinburgh.
Hibs star Danny Swanson told the trial that Shaun, a close friend, was kicked in the head by the teenager as he lay on the ground.
At the start of the trial, the youth, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was charged with murder.
Shaun’s family and friends were furious that the killer, now 17, was convicted of the lesser charge of culpable homicide.
Police were forced to step in as trouble between Shaun’s friends and family and relatives of the youth broke out in the public gallery of the High Court in Dunfermline.
As the verdict was announced, the teenager slumped to the ground in the dock in tears and there was loud wailing from a female relative.
The youth then stopped at the top of the stairs as he was being taken to the cells, resulting in loud shouts of: “Get him down.”
With the judge and jury looking on, police removed people from the public gallery amid shouts and threats.
Shaun, 30, was fatally injured outside Gladstones bar in Leith in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
His killer was among a group of thugs who had gone on a rampage of violence on the streets of the capital as huge crowds celebrated Hogmanay.
Police said innocent strangers were viciously attacked at random.
Shaun’s killer admitted five other assaults that night.
After the trial, Gladstones bar owner Peter Swanson, who is footballer Danny’s uncle and who was a close friend of Shaun, spoke out against the justice system.
He said: “The way the trial was conducted has been a farce.
“The prosecutor’s comment about trouble following these boys around is
laughable – they went looking for trouble, as was proved throughout the trial.
“For a group of youths to go from one side of the city to another and be monitored by the police but still be able to assault five people without getting lifted is an absolute scandal.
“I knew Shaun virtually all his life. His death has devastated so many people, including his family. We are all hurting.
“One person has been found responsible for causing a young family man to die, but it’s not good enough. Nothing will bring Shaun back. Where is the justice here?”
The trial heard that before punching Shaun, the killer youth had been at the Meadows in Edinburgh, where crowds had gathered to watch fireworks.
He punched student Hugh Cullen, who had wished him Happy New Year.
The victim sustained multiple fractures to his face.
The youth and others in his group then travelled to Leith and continued to attack strangers, including Michael Smith, who just left Gladstones.
When news of Michael’s assault reached the pub shortly afterwards, it sparked a spiral of violence.
Shaun had been in the bar enjoying a Hogmanay party with friends, including footballer Danny, whose dad John co-owns the pub with Peter.
As trouble broke out in the street outside Gladstones, Danny’s cousin Steven Swanson ran back into the pub, grabbed two pool cues and asked others to follow him outside.
Shaun went outside and as several fights broke out on the cobbled street, he was fatally injured. He died in hospital several hours later.
CCTV images captured much of the fighting but not the blow that struck Shaun.
After a 17-day trial, the youth was found guilty of killing Shaun by punching him on the head. He suffered a fatal head injury.
He will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow next month.
Mohammed Zakariyah, 19, who was with the youth that night, admitted two separate assaults and a breach of the peace. He will be sentenced at the same time as the teenager.
At the start of the trial, Zakariyah and Marcus Brown, 18, faced a charge of murdering Shaun.
All the charges against Brown were dropped after two weeks of evidence. Zakariyah’s not guilty plea to murder was accepted.
Detective Inspector Stuart Alexander welcomed the conviction of Zakariyah and Shaun’s killer.
He said: “My thoughts are with Shaun’s family at this traumatic time.
“They have had to endure the process of a trial and not only hear horrific details but see some harrowing footage of what happened to their loved one that night.
“He was out celebrating the New Year when his life was sadly taken from him.
“On a night when the majority of the country were out celebrating and having fun to bring in the New Year, these boys went on the rampage, committing a significant number of random and unprovoked serious assaults on innocent members of the public in different areas of the city.
“Some of these victims were seriously injured and left with permanent disfigurements. They required hospital and dental treatment and were extremely traumatised.
“I hope that the fact this young man has now been found guilty of culpable homicide and the other assaults can help Shaun’s family have some sort of closure and the other victims and their families can see that justice has been done.”