Hamilton Thug hit woman with wine bottle

Apr 16 2008 By Our Court Reporter

A HAMILTON thug was this week found guilty of using a Buckfast wine bottle to attack and injure a woman.

Paul Bell (20) and his sister Jade (22) had both been charged with the assault on Stacey Duris at a grassy area in Comrie Crescent, Hillhouse, on October 19 last year.

At the outset of a trial before a sheriff and jury at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Monday the Bells, of Belhaven Road, denied the charge.

They were said to have seized Duris by the hair, repeatedly struck her on the head with the bottle and knocked her to the ground.

The charge against the Bells also accused them of repeatedly punching Duris on the head and body, and spitting on her to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

The court was told that the offence was said to have been carried out while both of them were on bail on other matters.

But on the third day of the trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court, the jury found Jade Bell not guilty of the offence by majority verdict.

Her brother, however, was found guilty of the offence by majority verdict under the deletion of the word ‘severe.’

After the verdict on Paul Bell was announced, a sobbing Jade Bell said: ‘He never did it.’

And as she left the dock she said: ‘He’s not guilty by the way.

‘I admitted it.’

When instructed to be quiet by sheriff court officials, Bell replied: ‘Whatever.’

At the court, Paul Bell had further denied a charge of assaulting Lisa McCann by pushing her on the body and causing her to fall to the ground at the grassy area in Comrie Crescent while on bail on other matters.

The jury found Bell not guilty of this offence by unanimous verdict.

But Paul Bell was further found guilty of committing a breach of the peace at the grassy area near Comrie Crescent while on bail, and a charge of breaching a bail condition not to contact either Jade Bell or Brenda Bell.

Sheriff Frank Pieri deferred sentence on Bell until April 30 for community service, social enquiry and restriction of liberty assessment reports.

He also requested a probation progress report on Bell and remanded him in custody meantime.