A teenage thug who cracked a schoolboy’s skull in a brutal golf club attack was spared custody because of his young age.
Dean Williamson brought down the club so hard on his victim’s head that it snapped in two.
The 15-year-old was left “unable to speak” and may never fully recover, Perth Sheriff Court heard.
Williamson admitted the broad daylight assault on Dunkeld Road in June 2021, when he was 16.
He pled guilty to a charge of assaulting the youngster to his severe injury, permanent impairment and disfigurement and to the danger of his life.
Sheriff David Hall said he took into consideration his young age.
“Like your victim, you were a youth at the time of this offence,” he said.
Tagged
The sheriff told Williamson, now 18: “You need to understand that you were not acting in self defence.
“You are still a young man and you appear before me with no previous convictions.”
The court heard that social workers recommended the teenager be put on the Right Track programme for young offenders as part of a structured deferred sentence.
“With some hesitation, I am persuaded by your youth and lack of record that I should place you on this programme.
“This order is being imposed today as a direct alternative to custody.”
Williamson, of Catmoor Avenue, Scone, was also electronically tagged as part of a five-month Restriction of Liberty Order.
He was told he must stay home between 7pm and 7am each day.
Beyond ‘self defence’
Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, said a witness claimed the victim hit Williamson with a Buckfast bottle.
“It seems there was some kind of contact between Mr Williamson and the complainer but Mr Williamson went far beyond what could have been described as self defence.”
The court previously heard Williamson’s victim walked down Dunkeld Road with friends just after 7pm, when he approached the accused.
Fiscal depute Gavin Letford said Williamson was seen raising a golf club, before striking it down on the schoolboy’s head.
“This caused the club to snap in two,” said Mr Letford.
The court was told the boy threw a Buckfast bottle at Williamson. It whizzed past a passer-by and bounced off her car.
The attack was witnessed by passing police officers.
The boy was taken to Perth Royal Infirmary, but was later transferred to Ninewells with “life threatening” injuries.
A CT scan revealed the youngster had suffered a fractured skull.
He spent five days in a high dependency unit.
Doctors were unable to say whether he would ever fully recover, while a clinical psychologist noted he was left with “severe disruption to verbal and speech skills”.
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