Violent thug used a baton to do this to 19-year-old student’s face
Thugs arrested after Facebook injury pictures went viral
A WOMAN who used a baton to batter a student in a horror attack was caught after images of the injuries she inflicted went viral on Facebook. Stephanie McIntyre, 23, launched the vicious assault on Caitlin Shepherd, 19, after a random meeting in Strathclyde Country Park in Motherwell. Caitlin, of Glasgow, and two friends had arrived at the park for a car meet when she spotted a vehicle driving close to her. She pulled in but McIntyre and co-accused Amanda Watt, 19, got out and confronted her. Watt was shouting and swearing at Caitlin, telling her to get out of the car, before McIntyre produced a baton and struck her face and head while trying to pull her out of the vehicle. Watt stopped McIntyre after seeing blood pouring from Caitlin’s face and the pair fled.
Caitlin posted shocking images of her injuries on Facebook and an appeal to track down her attackers went viral.
This led to both women being arrested and charged.
At Hamilton Sheriff Court, McIntyre, of Motherwell, admitted assaulting Caitlin while Watt admitted acting in a threatening and abusive manner in March.
Depute fiscal Scott King said: “The witnesses were in Strathclyde Park taking part in a car meet which regularly takes place there.
“Miss Shepherd and her friends arrived at 8.40pm and there were a number of cars around.” He added that they noticed a car driven by Watt behind her.
King said: “She thought she wanted past her because it was driving close to her and pulled in but Miss Watt stopped her car and the complainer could hear shouting coming from her car.
“She had rolled down the window and was shouting towards the vehicle and then Miss Watt got out of her car and approached the complainer’s car.
“Her door was open as she approached and Miss Watt was shouting at her to get out the f ***** g car.
“The complainer told her she wouldn’t do so and during the altercation, the accused, Miss McIntyre, got out armed with an extendable baton. She approached and began striking Miss Shepherd to the face with the baton who could feel the blows to her head which made her feel dizzy and lightheaded and she began to bleed heavily while sitting in the car.
“Watt saw the extent of the bleeding and pulled Miss McIntyre away from the car shouting ‘S**t, s**t, come on’, while the accused McIntyre also seized the complainer’s legs in an attempt to pull her from the vehicle and eventually they ran back to their car.
“The accused and complainer were unknown to each other and as a consequence, there were moves made to trace them.”
Sheriff Thomas Millar deferred sentence on the pair until next month for reports and continued bail.
Caitlin said: “I have no idea what led to these girls becoming so angry because there was no incident beforehand and I don’t know them.
“But they lost the plot and I didn’t know when they were going to stop. If they had got me out of the car, I don’t know what would have happened.”