Woman is attacked after thug’s row with her boyfriend

A thug on early release from prison terrified a woman and robbed her of a phone after a dispute with her boyfriend.

Danny Mccallum had blamed the man for smashing up a car and went to a Hamilton house to confront him.

The innocent woman, who was in a car with a three-year-old boy, became caught up in the trouble as she was dragged out of the vehicle.

Mccallum, 28, was sent back to jail for 350 days when he appeared from custody via videolink at Hamilton Sheriff Court this week.

He admitted assaulting and robbing the woman in Solway Court on November 23.

Mccallum, who is from Larkhall, and another man were each jailed for seven years in 2016 for attempting to murder a man in Strathaven.

He was out of prison on licence and on bail for another matter when he attacked the woman.

Abby Seal, prosecuting, said the woman received a phone call about 5.30pm, warning her not to go home as her boyfriend had been assaulted.

She went there anyway with her sister and a child.

Ms Seal told the court:“outside her house they saw three males wearing dark clothing, hoods and scarves.

“The women’s car moved away and they contacted the police, but they were followed by a white Audi.

“This pulled up beside them in Solway Court, blocking the driver’s door. There were four persons inside and the victim recognised the accused, Mccallum, as the driver.

“He and another occupant shouted ‘Where’s your boyfriend?’. The woman said she didn’t know and asked the men to leave them alone, saying there was a child in the car.

“Mccallum then got out of his car, opened a door of the other vehicle and pulled the woman out by her arm.

“She was still on the phone to the police, but he grabbed the phone from her and threw it to the ground, causing it to smash. At this point another man in the Audi shouted‘the wean’s in the car. Don’t be f ****** stupid’.

“The accused then told the woman ‘You’re lucky the wean’s in the car’. She was alarmed and tried to retrieve her phone, but Mccallum picked it up, got back into the Audi and drove off.”

The woman sustained slight bruising but did not need medical treatment. Mccallum was arrested the next day. Defence agent Neal Mcshane said the victim’s partner was allegedly involved in a hammer attack on a car belonging to the sister of Mccallum’s girlfriend, which caused“significant”damage to the windows and bodywork.

Mr Mcshane said:“mccallum’s intention was to try to resolve matters with him. That incident didn’t involve the victim in this case and my client is ashamed of his conduct towards her. She was an innocent party.”

Mr Mcshane said that dad-of-one Mcshane normally works in the family vehicle business in Viewpark.