Pub thug faces jail

Smashed object over the back of his victim’s head

A drunken brute who attacked a man in a busy pub over an alleged remark is facing a jail stretch.

Thug Alan Usher, 34, who has previous convictions for violence, struck victim Craig Barrowman over the head with an unknown object at Callum’s Bar, High Street, Johnstone, on September 23 last year.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard Usher had been in the company of Foxbar man, Stuart Lockhart, when mayhem erupted in the pub following his assault on Mr Barrowman.

Fiscal depute Margaret McCallum told the court the complainer had been sitting with friends drinking at a table at around 6.30pm when he was approached by Usher.

She said: “Usher was accompanied by another male and he walked towards the table where the complainer was sitting.

“The accused, Usher, struck the complainer on the back of the head with an unknown object.

“He has no idea what it was which hit him.

“The accused was grabbed by other patrons who were in the bar and he was removed from the premises.

“Staff attended to the complainer who had been knocked over.”

The court was told Usher, of Kerrymount Avenue in Glasgow, and his accomplice Lockhart of Grampian Avenue, Paisley, fled the bar with police arriving at the pub very soon after the attack.

Officers quickly arrested Usher and Lockhart having been given descriptions of the suspects by eyewitnesses.

Usher appeared at court where he pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Mr Barrowman by striking him on the head with an object unknown.

While Lockhart did not appear at court in connection with a charge of police assault arising from the same incident in Johnstone.

He is being sought on a warrant.

Defence agent for Usher, Mr Millar, told the court his client’s schedule of previous convictions “doesn’t make for good reading.”

He said: “He is aware of his record and he was heavily under the influence of alcohol that evening.

“He was in the company of the co- accused that evening and his memory of the event is very sketchy.

“He believes he was told by his co- accused that Mr Barrowman had said something insulting to towards him and he decided to deal with the matter by reacting in the fashion described.”

The lawyer added Usher accepted responsibility for the assault and had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing after reflecting on his position.

Sheriff Susan Sinclair deferred sentence on Usher for background reports, telling the accused that “all options including a custodial sentence remain open to the court.”

She added: “It might be that given your record and the nature of the offence, however, reports will let us see if there is an alternative.”

Us h e r, who was freed on bail, will learn of his fate when he reappears on February 8.