Drunk thug punched pensioner outside football bar

A DRUNK thug punched an elderly man in an unprovoked attack outside a Rangers bar.

Allan Murray had “taken too much to drink” when he approached a group of three people waiting for a taxi outside The Wee Rangers Club.

The 20-year-old started making offensive comments and then punched his victim, causing him to fall to the ground.

Depute fiscal Lauren Ram Sangray told Glasgow Sheriff Court of the events of October 12, 2019, outside the venue on Edmiston Drive.

After Murray punched 68-year-old Ian Richardson, a woman with the victim, Phyllis Richardson, stepped in to try to get between the two men. At this point she was also punched in the head by dad-to-be Murray and fell to the ground.

Richardson had to be taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he needed six paper stitches ¬– two to his nose and four to his head.

Murray’s defence brief told the court that his partner is due to give birth within the next fortnight to their first child. She added: “Clearly far too much alcohol had been taken and Mr Murray does not recall much about what happened.

“This was two years ago yesterday and he has not consumed alcohol since and has not been back to the football.

“His partner does not want to be involved with someone with this kind of behaviour.”

Murray was tagged for 163 days, keeping him at home from 7pm until 7am.

He was ordered to pay £350 in compensation to his male victim and £150 to his female victim.

Sheriff Jonathan Guy said: “Your solicitor quite properly recognised that this was a serious assault.

“If you hadn’t demonstrated that level of insight and remorse this could have been a custodial matter.”