Brutal punch left victim unconscious in the street
Thug spared jail time after single blow floored man
A thug who lost part of his ear in a Cambuslang pub brawl and then knocked a man unconscious with a single punch has avoided jail.
Joiner Martin Carroll, 29, floored his 48- year- old victim outside The Sir John Fairweather pub in December 2018.
Carroll was also assaulted and a bit of his ear was ripped off during the late-night fracas.
Last week, he pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to assault to severe injury.
Carroll was ordered to carry out 225 hours of unpaid work by Sheriff Sean Murphy QC and to pay his victim £ 1500 in compensation.
The court heard that one of Carroll’s friends was attacked earlier that night, an incident which sparked the subsequent melee.
The court was shown horrific CCTV of two groups of men spilling out the pub and engaging in a stand-up fight around 11pm.
Prosecutor Mark Allan said: “Carroll is seen in the footage punching [the victim] on the head and he is seen falling to the ground.
“He was rendered unconscious.” Bar staff dialled 999 and police quickly arrived to find the man lying on the ground, unconscious.
He was taken to Hairmyres Hospital for treatment for bleeding on the brain and was kept in for more than three weeks.
The man also required speech therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy for six months.
Mr Allan told the court that the victim has “no recollection” of the incident, but has since recovered.
Carroll, from East Kilbride, was later traced by police and arrested.
Lawyer Stephen Dryden, defending, told the court Carroll employs five people and is financially responsible for his parents, who have medical issues.
He said: “He became involved in an ongoing incident.
“He, in normal circumstances, is a fine upstanding young man who was unfortunate to become involved in this incident. “This was one punch in an ongoing fight.” Sheriff Murphy told Carroll: “I accept this was very much out of character and the courts are unlikely to see you again.”