Vicious thug jailed for assaults on two people

Jul 31 2008

A VIEWPARK thug was last week sentenced to a total of 14 months’ imprisonment for attacks on two men, one of whom was a police officer.

A court heard that Brendan Goodbrand had seized Stephen Foster by his clothing, pulled him to the ground and repeatedly punched him on the head and body during the attack.

The 24-year-old also punched Constable Scott Collins on the face and knocked him to the ground, rendering him unconscious when he tried to help.

Goodbrand, of 4 Eighth Street, had denied assaulting both men at a trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court last month.

However, following the five-day trial a jury unanimously found Goodbrand guilty of assaulting Stephen Foster to his severe injury.

The incident took place in Old Edinburgh Road on September 22, 2006.

And during the course of the trial at the sheriff court, Goodbrand admitted attacking Constable Collins in Hamilton’s Cadzow Street on September 1, 2006.

Goodbrand and his brother Kieran (22), however, were both found not guilty of assaulting Mr Foster’s nephew, John Matthews, with a bottle to his injury.

He had also been charged - along with brothers Kieran and Eamonn (20) - with assaulting a Ryan McCrumb in Hamilton’s Campbell Street.

However, during the trial the Crown indicated it was not proceeding with the charge.

As a result, the three brothers were unanimously found not guilty.

Goodbrand’s agent Andy Brophy told Sheriff John Miller that a report prepared for the court had stated that Goodbrand could benefit from a term of probation.

However, passing sentence last Thursday, Sheriff John Miller told Goodbrand that only a custodial sentence was appropriate due to the severity of the charges.

The sheriff also pointed out that Goodbrand’s criminal record had included an assault for which he had been given community service by the sheriff court as a direct alternative to custody.

The latest assaults before the court, added the sheriff, were also committed on separate occasions and this was another fact he was taking into account when deciding on a sentence for Goodbrand .

Sheriff Miller sentenced Goodbrand to eight months for the assault on Mr Foster, and six months in prison for the assault on Constable Collins.

The sheriff said that the terms were to run consecutively.