Yobs’ unpaid work for attack

Trio hit victim with wooden pole

Three yobs who attacked a man in a Hamilton street by punching, kicking and stamping on him and repeatedly hitting him with a wooden pole were last week place on supervision and ordered to carry out unpaid work.

John Ashcroft (21), Ryan Mcinnes (22) and James Smith (19) last month all admitted carrying out the assault to severe injury on 38-year-old coaccused Peter King Monteith under provocation in Douglas Street on February 5 this year.

They had pursued Monteith, knocked him to the ground and repeatedly punched and kicked him. They also stamped on his head and body and repeatedly struck him on the head and body with a wooden pole.

Smith had carried out the attack while on bail on another matter.

Co-accused 20-year-old Michael O’neill, of Glasgow Road, Burnbank, had pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Monteith to his severe injury at an earlier hearing, along with a charge of carrying a wooden pole in Clydesdale Street, Douglas Street and Almada Street on February 5.

Mcinnes further admitted a charge of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by shouting, swearing and uttering threats of violence at Saffronhall Crescent on February 5.

However, his not guilty plea to a charge of assaulting a police officer in Campbell Street on February 5 by attempting to headbutt him was accepted by the Crown.

Their victim Monteith, of Loretto Housing Association, Ferniegair, also appeared on the indictment charged with assaulting Ashcroft, of George Street, Burnbank, by striking him with a knife to his injury in Douglas Street on February 5 – along with a charge of having a knife in a public place. He has denied the charges.

Last Friday Sheriff Marie Smart sentenced Ashcroft – of George Street, Burnbank – and Mcinnes, whose address was given as Polmont Young Offenders’ Institution – each to 18 months’ supervision and ordered them to carry out 120 hours’ unpaid work within six months. She also placed O’neill, of Glasgow Road, Hamilton, on 15 months’ supervision due to his earlier plea and ordered him to carry out 100 hours’ unpaid work within six months.

She deferred sentence on Smith, of Glasgow, until August 8 for a supplementary criminal justice social work report. Bail was continued meantime.

Monteith’s trial date had previously been set for the sitting beginning June 26.

They pursued Monteith knocked him to the ground and then repeatedly punched and kicked him . . .