A teenager who battered a man in a queue for a New Year’s McDonalds has avoided jail after a court heard he had “turned his life around”.
Layton Chaplin was 15 when he conducted a seven-month campaign of terror in which he knocked out a 14-year-old boy, headbutted and kicked a woman and threatened to kill police.
Now 18 and living in Glasgow, Chaplin was given two years to complete 220 hours of unpaid work.
His unprovoked campaign of violence left one victim with a broken jaw and another with a broken nose.
Accomplice Jay Ciebrant, also 18, of St Michael’s Yard, Dundee, was sentenced to 180 hours.
McDonald’s assault
Defence solicitor Jim Laverty, in mitigation for Chaplin, said: “I have presented a letter to the court which shows he is in employment.
“I can advise he was on a curfew from August 18 to May 4 last year.
“This is a young man who has turned his life around.
“He has not come to the attention of the police since August 2020.”
Dundee Sheriff Court was told at an earlier trial the attacks began when he tried to be the first customer through the door at McDonald’s on Reform Street in 2020.
Depute fiscal Gavin Burton said a queue of people gathered outside the fast food joint shortly before it opened for the year at 8am on January 1.
Chaplin pushed his way in and threatened to rape staff members, before turning his anger towards a fellow customer, knocking him unconscious
The court heard co-accused Ciebrant, 18, kicked the innocent victim on the back and head before eventually dragging Chaplin away from the stricken man.
Further assaults
On June 1 2020, Chaplin approached a 14-year-old boy in the street and hurled abuse at him before punching him unconscious.
On July 16 Chaplin seriously assaulted a woman after being thrown out of a party by repeatedly punching her in the face.
Chaplin burst her nose and then headbutted her.
While she was on the ground he continued the attack by kicking her repeatedly on the body.
He ran towards her brandishing a bottle before promising to come back with others to continue the assault.
He did return with three other people and tried to get to the woman as she barricaded herself inside a flat.
He made rape threats and hurled racist abuse towards police when he was arrested.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown, sentencing Chaplin and Ciebrant to a community payback order, said: “These were violent crimes which would usually merit a custodial sentence.
“But in light of the reports and that you have changed your lives around, I am satisfied an alternative to custody is available.
“This is very much an alternative, if you do not complete your unpaid work order you should expect custody.”
Chaplin was also placed on a two-year supervision order.
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