Youths stamp on man’s head in street attack

Victim believed to have sustained broken jaw during assault

A man had his head stamped on during a vicious street attack by stick-wielding youths.

It is thought the 33-year-old’s jaw may have been broken after he was assaulted by the screaming mob in Burntisland on Friday night.

An eyewitness described the incident in Dick Crescent as “extremely frightening” and said the victim was lucky to have survived.

George McLauchlan, secretary of Burntisland Community Council, called the police after seeing the man beaten and kicked by around 16 young men and women.

He had been alerted by shouting and screaming and was shocked by what he saw.

“It was a vicious attack with sticks and poles,” he said.

“There was one person on the ground and this young lad stamped on his head.

“I believe he’s got a broken jaw and I think he’s lucky that’s all he’s got.”

Mr McLauchlan said after the victim was taken to hospital, a large pool of blood could be seen on the pavement.

“By the time the police arrived most of the people had dispersed,” he added.

Officers have appealed for witnesses to the attack and revealed the victim had required “significant treatment” to serious facial injuries.

They are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have recorded the incident on a mobile phone.

Mr McLauchlan expressed concern that Burntisland now only had two community police officers who also covered Kinghorn and Auchtertool without a car between them.

“The police keep saying crime is falling but that’s not the perception of people here,” he said.

“There have been a lot of complaints about the town and youth disorder.”

Burntisland councillor Gordon Langlands said he was concerned to hear of Friday’s attack.

“A year-and-a-half ago there was a lot of trouble with youth disorder and I hope it’s not going to escalate into the same trouble as we had then,” he said.

Mr Langlands said the police are holding a community engagement meeting in Burntisland Primary School today at 6.30pm and he hopes to see a large turnout.

Anyone with information about the Dick Crescent attack is asked to contact Kirkcaldy CID on 101, quoting incident number 5238 of May 26, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.