Thug ordered to pay victim compensation

A THUG who carried out an ‘unprovoked attack’ in a Port Glasgow pub has been ordered to pay his victim compensation.

John Loughray, 36, previously pleaded guilty to a charge of striking a man on the head and knocking him to the ground at Caledonian Bar on April 15 last year.

He thereafter repeatedly struck the man on the head and body as he lay on the floor.

A fiscal depute told Greenock Sheriff Court that the victim had been at the pub socialising with friends and was waiting to be served at the bar.

She said: “At this time, without warning, the accused began to assault the complainer by punching him to his head.

“This resulted in him falling to the floor. The accused continued to punch him on the head and body.

“The accused was ejected from the locus by employees of the bar.”

Police were called to the pub and Loughray was traced outside the premises. The fiscal depute added: “He was not cautioned and charged due to his level of intoxication.”

Defence solicitor Amy Spencer said Loughray, who ‘rarely consumes alcohol’, had a ‘very vague recollection of the events that occurred’.

Ms Spencer added: “His position has always been and it’s by no means an excuse that had he not been as intoxicated, he would’ve behaved differently.”

Sheriff Anthony McGeehan told Loughray: “You have no recollection of the events and can offer no context as to why you, on an unprovoked basis, assaulted the victim.”

Loughray, of Glasgow Road, was placed on a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody, which will see him remain under supervision for a period of 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay his victim compensation to the value of £250, as well as being made subject to a 10-week curfew.