Man knocked out after Cowie assault

Jul 13 2011 by Court Reporter, Stirling Observer Wednesday

A MAN was knocked unconscious after being assaulted in the street in Cowie, a court was told this week.

Stirling Sheriff Court heard on Monday how Ross Haughton (21) punched the other man causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground, knocking him out cold. The assault happened in the village’s Main Street on July 3 this year.

Fiscal depute Sonia Kalkat said the incident appeared to have followed some kind of argument between the pair.

The court was told that the assault victim was taken to hospital and had X-rays to his neck, which fortunately came back clear. He was advised to remain in hospital overnight for observation but was said to have declined this, however.

Ms Kalkat said that Haughton himself was also seen to have swelling to his head following the incident.

Haughton, who appeared in court on Monday from custody, pleaded guilty to punching the other man to the head, and to breaching a previously imposed bail condition ordering him not to enter Main Street, Cowie.

Defence solicitor Frazer McCready said that Haughton accepted that he would be being jailed for the assault.

Mr McCready added that Haughton had apparently been smoking cannabis prior to the incident.

There had also been some indication, he said, that another witness had apparently seen the complainer aim a kick at Haughton, which missed.

Mr McCready continued: “Thereafter, Mr Haughton accepts that he punched the complainer, causing him to fall to the ground. The complainer struck his head and that knocked him out.”

The court was also told that Haughton had been in custody since July 4 and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Sheriff Paul Arthurson jailed Haughton for six months for the offences, the sentences being concurrent and backdated to July 4.

This jail term was reduced from nine months due to Haughton’s early guilty plea.

As it turned out, Haughton was back in court again yesterday (Tuesday) on a separate charge of breaching the same bail condition.

This happened at around 1.10am on April 10 this year.

Again, Haughton, of Bryden Road, Whins of Milton, pleaded guilty to the offence.

Mr McCready said that his client had a number of friends in Cowie and had been there to see them.

He added: “He had been drinking, was heavily intoxicated and he approached the police at one stage to ask them for a lift home.”

Officers then discovered the existence of the bail condition, which landed Haughton in more bother.

Sheriff Paul Arthurson imposed a further three-month jail term for this offence, to be served consecutively.