Cop describes seeing ‘frenzied’ street attack

Apr 23 2009

A HAMILTON man carried out a “frenzied” punching attack on another male in Quarry Street, a court heard this week.

Giving evidence on the first day of a trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court, Constable Scott Murphy said he saw George McCann jnr (20) carry out the attack on 23-year-old Christopher McStravock at the railway bridge.

Viewing the incident from around 50 yards away, the officer said he saw McCann “rain down” blows on McStravock.

McCann, however, denied a charge of assaulting McStravock on January 17 this year by striking him on the head with his hand and repeatedly punching him on the head, all to his injury, while on bail on another matter.

He also pleaded not guilty to assaulting and attempting to rob a Darren Brown with a bottle at Hillhouse Road on June 7, 2007.

Questioned by fiscal depute Barry Dunn, Constable Murphy explained that he and a colleague had responded to a report that two males had been acting aggressively at Maverix Bar in Quarry Street.

When they got there they were met by a door steward who pointed to one of the males who had been causing a nuisance further up the street.

At that instant the officer said he saw McCann begin his attack on McStravock

Asked by the fiscal depute if he saw any of the males involved in court, Constable Murphy pointed to McCann sitting in the dock.

Mr Dunn asked the constable how many punches he witnessed and he replied: “It was a frenzy. There was a lot more than one punch.”

He added that he did not see anyone retaliate to the attack.

Constable Murphy ran towards the scene and took hold of McCann. McStravock, he said, was bleeding badly from a facial injury.

McCann was put in a police vehicle after the officers restrained him and an ambulance arrived to take McStravock to Hairmyres Hospital.

Questioned earlier by Mr Dunn, McStravock said he had been at the Quarry Bar around 11.30pm with his sister’s boyfriend, James Maxwell.

He said he and Maxwell had gone there around 10.30pm for a brief drink before buying more alcohol from a shop.

McStravock said he left Maxwell outside the bar and walked acrossthe road to get a taxi at the train station.

Mr Dunn asked the witness if he could remember what had happened, and he replied: “I can remember talking to someone. I felt something hit me on the face.”

However, McStravock said he did not know who was responsible for the attack.

The trial before Sheriff Frank Pieri was continuing yesterday as the Advertiser went to press.