Man left victim with life-threatening head injury in violent street attack

A man has been jailed for four years and four months after carrying out a violent street attack despite members of the public trying to intervene.

David Bates, 39, brutally assaulted his victim, who underwent emergency surgery after he was transferred into the care of neurosurgeons following his hospital admission.

Lady Ross said at the High Court in Edinburgh that Bates committed the attack on the victim in a Glasgow street as people were going about their daily business.

The judge told him that he would have faced a six and a half year jail term for the crime, but it would be reduced following his guilty plea.

Bates, formerly of Megan Gate, Glasgow, earlier admitted assaulting the man to his severe injury, permanent impairment and disfigurement and to the danger of his life on March 4 on London Road, in Glasgow.

During the attack, he repeatedly punched the victim on the head and body, pushed him, grabbed him by his clothing and repeatedly caused him to fall to the ground and strike his head.

The court heard that the crime took place during the afternoon near Bridgeton Cross after the two men exchanged words.

Bates walked towards the victim who fell to his knees after he was punched. He was pushed to the ground and Bates continued to strike him.

A witness intervened and hauled father-of-four Bates away before he pushed past him and returned to resume his assault on the victim.

Another man approached the pair from a nearby pub and tried to separate them.

Bates fell on top of the victim, who banged his head hard on the pavement. Bates punched the man again and then began to walk away.

The assault victim at one point slumped to the ground against a parked car but then got up. He made his way towards Bridgeton Cross before he collapsed to the ground in a distressed state.

Paramedics who attended thought that he might have suffered a bleed to the brain and that his life was in danger. He was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary before being transferred to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he underwent surgery.

The court heard that a consultant neurosurgeon considered his traumatic head injury to be life-threatening, and it would likely have proved fatal without emergency surgery.

Defence solicitor advocate Graeme Brown said alcohol was a feature of the current case, although he was not putting that forward as an excuse.

A judge told Bates: “This was a serious offence and it has had grave consequences for the complainer. You caused severe injury and put his life in real danger.”