Attacks on two men in underpass

Supervison order

A thug was placed on supervision this week for attacks on two men by a Stirling underpass.

Kaya Bartle, of Johnston Avenue, Cornton, assaulted Tom Bode on September 13 this year at the Customs roundabout underpass and chased him to Laurencecroft Road in Raploch where the assault continued.

The 21-year-old also punched Filip Olsson on the head after Mr Olsson challenged Bartle about his behaviour.

Bartle pleaded guilty to an amended charge of assaulting Mr Bode – from which was deleted mention of him having bitten Mr Bode on the face, demanded money from him and threw a bottle at him with intent to rob him. He also admitted assaulting Mr Olsson by punching him on the head.

Fiscal depute Ashley Smith told Stirling Sheriff Court on Wednesday that Mr Bode had been making his way from Stirling’s Tesco store to Sainsbury’s in Drip Road when the attack occurred about 8.15pm.

Bartle approached Mr Bode in the Customs roundabout underpass and pushed him on the arm. He then chased after him and caught up with him in Laurencecroft Road.

Bartle pushed Mr Bode who fell forward. The accused then climbed on top of him and a struggle took place. During the struggle Mr Bode said: ‘Stop. Let me go. What are you doing?’

Bartle let go of Mr Bode who then ran off. Witness Filip Olsson told Bartle to calm down. Bartle then approached him and began behaving aggressively. He punched Mr Olsson on the face causing him to fall on to the grass. Bartle ran off towards the underpass.

He was later interviewed by police. In relation to the attack on Mr Bode he said: ‘Sorry man. Cannae remember anything. Totally out of character. If I see him I’ll apologise.’

In relation to the attack on Mr Olsson he said ‘sorry.’

His agent Virgil Crawford told the court that Bartle had a schedule of previous convictions.

Mr Crawford said that Bartle had taken a lot of Valium and could not remember the incident.

He pointed out that Bartle had been in the care system for a number of years and suffered from substance misuse and had mental health problems.

Sheriff Shead told Bartle that the nature of the offence was “extremely upsetting and disgraceful – particularly as you have a record for violence.”

He imposed a community payback order – comprising 18 months’ supervision and 135 hours’ unpaid work within nine months – as an alternative to custody.

A review hearing was also set for February 6.