Hamilton yob kicked man ‘like a football’

Apr 2 2008 By our court reporter

A HAMILTON yob kicked a man ‘like a football’ during a street attack.

Hugh Caulfield and Kevin O’Neil both admitted assaulting chef Richard Campbell to his injury when they appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Monday.

Caulfield (37) repeatedly kicked 23-year-old Mr Campbell on the body, and O’Neil (17) struck him on the head with a golf club in Chriss Avenue on March 25 last year.

Fiscal depute Angela Gray told the court that Mr Campbell had been at a sportsman’s dinner and was walking home with his uncle when they heard a disturbance coming from Silvertonhill Place.

Mr Campbell saw his 18-year-old cousin involved in an altercation with a number of people.

Ms Gray said Mr Campbell spoke to his cousin and tried to “calm him down and remove him from the situation”.

Two of those in the crowd were Caulfield and O’Neil who, along with a number of others, chased Mr Campbell, his cousin and some of their friends.

Mr Campbell ran a short distance to Chriss Avenue, where Caulfield and O’Neil caught up with him.

O’Neil hit Mr Campbell on the head with the golf club and he fell. Caulfield repeatedly kicked him as he lay on the ground.

Ms Gray said the attack was witnessed by two women.

The witnesses said Caulfield didn’t have a weapon but kicked Mr Campbell with such force that he was lifted up off the ground.

The women said Caulfield had kicked the complainer “like a football”.

The women knew Mr Campbell and gave him assistance. They took him into a house and he was later taken to hospital by his girlfriend.

Caulfield and O’Neil were detained later that morning and interviewed by police.

O’Neil accepted that he had struck Mr Campbell with the golf club. However, Caulfield had denied any involvement in the assault although he accepted he had been in the vicinity and had chased the complainer.

Mr Campbell was found to have a half-inch cut to the top of his head which required two stitches.

He also sustained a burst lip, bruising to his body and the bridge of his nose.

Caulfield, of Woodlea Drive, and O’Neil, of Silvertonhill Place, both Hamilton, had originally been accused of using a knife in the attack and assaulting Mr Campbell to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life. However, the Crown accepted their guilty pleas to a reduced charge.

Sheriff Danny Scullion deferred sentence on both accused until April 28 for a full range of reports. A probation progress report was also requested for O’Neil.