Thug gets detention after town close attack

A Hamilton thug who attacked two men after they had been lured to a town flat by his coaccused has been caged for three years and one month.

Jordan Richardson (20) had been found guilty of assaulting Decklin Law and Connor Mather – along with co-accused Nicole Cairns – in the close of a block of flats near Low Waters Road on November 11, 2015.

The sentence follows a four-day trial held at Hamilton Sheriff Court in January.

Last month, Cairns was ordered to carry out unpaid work, tagged and put on a curfew.

The duo had assaulted Mr Law to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement and Mr Mather to his injury.

They had also robbed Mr Mather of a phone and, in addition, had intended to rob Mr Law.

During the trial the jury heard that Mr Law, of East Kilbride, had been chatting to Cairns on Facebook that day and arrangements were made for him to visit Hamilton.

However, both he and his pal never got to the flat.

Mr Law was stabbed in the stomach by Richardson and Mr Mather was stabbed in the chest.

Mr Mather was also hit on the body by Cairns and other girls, unknown to the prosecutor, with wooden table legs.

They had met Cairns outside the block of flats.

Once inside, Richardson appeared wearing a surgical mask which concealed his lower face.

He told the men to hand over their belongings, waving the knife in front of their faces.

Richardson also accused Mr Law of ‘getting wide on Facebook’ and cut him on the upper lip with the knife.

As Mr Mather went to hand over his mobile phone, Mr Law grabbed Richardson by the wrist and shoulder and pushed him towards the front door of the close.

As he held Richardson he tried to open the front door, but was unsuccessful.

He noticed that Cairns and other girls were hitting Mr Mather on the back with table legs.

Seeing an opportunity, Mr Law let go of Richardson and squeezed past the girls assaulting his pal.

But at that point he was stabbed in the stomach by Richardson.

Mr Law picked up a toy pram and threw it at Richardson.

He left the close at that point, but Mr Mather remained inside for some minutes.

When Mr Mather got out the close he told his friend he had been stabbed.

Last Friday, Sheriff Douglas Brown ordered Richardson – whose previous convictions include assault by threats to robbery, and assault to injury and danger of life – to return to prison to serve nine months of a previous sentence imposed. He was also sentenced to 37 months’ detention in a Young Offenders’ Institution.

This term was consecutive to the nine months’ sentence.