Tributes to tragic dad
Online tributes have been paid to a Viewpark dad who died after being struck by a lorry while crossing a busy Coatbridge road.
Stephen Brown, 39, was walking on Kirkshaws Road, at its junction with North Road, when he was hit by the vehicle at around 11.40am last Tuesday, March 2.
Police and ambulance staff attended the scene and Mr Brown, above, was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary for treatment.
Tragically he succumbed to his injuries two days later.
Mr Brown’s relatives are aware of his tragic loss and a report on the incident has been submitted to the procurator fiscal.
The 48-year-old driver of the lorry was uninjured.
Officers from the road policing unit in Motherwell are appealing for witnesses after the fatal crash, with Sergeant Craig Mcdonald saying:“i am keen to get a hold of any dash-cam footage drivers in the area at the time may have.
“From our enquiries so far, we know that there were a number of vehicles travelling east on Kirkshaws Road when the crash happened, so I would ask any of those people, especially those with dashcameras, to please get in touch with police as soon as they can. We would like to thank those who been in you touch so far. But if you haven’t and can assist, then please call officers at the road policing unit at Motherwell via 101, quoting reference number 1025 of March 2.”
Friends took to social media to pay tribute to Mr Brown, while others also voiced concerns about the“dangerous” junction where he lost his life.
Annette Mullen wrote:“gutted to hear such sad news. Broony was a good friend from primary to high school.
“RIP, thoughts to his family at this sad time.”
Debbie Mcgowan said:“such terrible news – he was a good guy.
“Thoughts are with his friends and family. RIP Broony.”
Highlighting what she sees as issues with the junction, Eilidh Mccann commented: “Worst junction in Coatbridge for accidents. They really need to get those traffic lights sorted out and put a stop to things like this.
“After all the disruption, time and money it took to change the junction in the first place, you would think they would want it to be safe.”
Lisa Rowley echoed those sentiments and added:“worst junction in Coatbridge. “Need to get the roundabout back.
“Ever since they changed it, it’s been nothing but accidents.”
A Strathaven dog owner stabbed and tried to strangle his pet Labrador while claiming he was God and the world was about to end.
Martin Stewart’s horrified partner tried desperately to intervene as he hung the helpless dog with its lead from a door handle.
Stewart – naked and covered in blood – then confronted police officers, warning that he had been “commanded” to kill them.
The shocking events were outlined at Hamilton Sheriff Court, pictured, on Friday.
Stewart, 32, admitted threatening or abusive behaviour and dog cruelty at his home in Rokeby Crescent on May 22 last year.
He also admitted assaulting two police officers, but charges of possessing cannabis and resisting arrest were dropped.
Jennifer Cunningham, prosecuting, said Stewart has no previous convictions, but his partner had noticed his mood was “low” in the days prior to the incidents.
His partner had woken up during the night and gone downstairs.
She then heard one-year-old Labrador Fergus squealing and went back upstairs to find Stewart had the dog in a headlock.
He was applying pressure to its neck and the dog’s eyes were “rolling”.
Ms Cunningham told the court: “She tried to pull the dog away from him, but fell.
“The dog ran from the room and went downstairs. Stewart’s partner was unable to calm him down.
“He was running about, saying she was the Queen of Scotland and the world was going to end in two days.
“The accused ran downstairs and put the lead round the dog’s neck.
“He looped the other end through the handle of the front door and pulled so that the dog was lifted off the floor, suspended by its neck. His partner put her arm under the dog, screaming at Stewart to stop as Fergus was choking.
“She then ran outside and phoned 999. “When she returned she saw the accused stab the dog twice in the abdomen with a kitchen knife.
“The woman tried to wrestle the knife from Stewart who then stabbed himself in the neck.”
Police officers arrived to find Stewart “naked and saturated from head to toe in blood”.
He ran towards them, performing a lewd act as he did so.
The police officers ordered Stewart’s partner to barricade herself in the living room.
He told them “God has commanded me to kill you both. Time to f ****** die.”
Stewart lunged at one officer, trying to scratch and punch him, and kicked the other.
He continued to make comments such as “I’m God. I’m here to kill you. I’m going to end the world”.
The officers used their batons and discharged incapacitating spray to little effect. Finally, a baton blow to the stomach knocked Stewart to the floor and he was subdued.
He was taken to hospital where his neck wound was stitched.
The dog was treated by an emergency vet. Its stab wounds were stitched and it has made a full recovery.
The court heard that, despite the traumatic events, Stewart and his partner remain a couple.
Defence agent Andy Iles lodged a letter of support she had written.
The solicitor said his client was examined by a psychiatrist and was found fit to plead to the charges.
Sheriff Thomas Millar called for a criminal justice social work report and deferred sentence until next month.
Police investigating three serious assaults in Hamilton followed a trail of blood to a nearby flat.
Liam Mccutcheon, who had used a sofa to barricade himself inside, was arrested and charged.
But a jury cleared him of involvement in the attacks after trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court this week.
Mccutcheon, 20, denied assaulting Christopher Grant and Dale Graham in Dechmont Street on September 15.
The men were allegedly hit by a bottle, can and bricks. Mccutcheon was also accused of hitting Danielle Fyfe with a pot.
The prosecution said others involved hadn’t been traced.
Police received three 999 calls about a rumpus in Dechmont Street.
The court heard Mr Grant had nine wounds to his scalp and forehead and Mr Graham had a 1.5-inch scar on his temple.
Ms Fyfe said the blow with a pot left her with a lump on her head.
Mr Grant failed to attend to give evidence.
Mr Graham and Ms Fyfe said they had been drinking and taking Valium and couldn’t remember much about it.
They couldn’t say who had attacked them.
Police said they followed a trail of blood to nearby Arden Terrace where Mccutcheon had used a sofa to barricade himself in a flat.
He was bleeding and told a woman there he had been assaulted.
Mr Grant’s DNA was found on a door handle at the flat and on a polo shirt in a washing machine which was also stained with Mccutcheon’s blood.
Mccutcheon didn’t give evidence, but solicitor Eddie Robertson rejected a claim he had barricaded himself because he knew police were after him and said:“he’d been assaulted and was trying to stop another potential attack.”
Urging the jury to acquit, he added:“there are so many unanswered questions that the Crown is unable to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”
The jury found the assault charges involving Mr Grant and Mr Graham not proven and returned a not guilty on the charge of assaulting Ms Fyfe.