An Arbroath teenager who “just about killed” a young boy has been locked up after knocking him unconscious and continuing to rain punches on him.
Lewis McCagh’s victim had turned 15 just three weeks before.
He had to be rushed to hospital after a witness shouted at McCagh: “You’ve just about killed him.”
McCagh, 18, also previously admitted a terrifying rampage in his hometown, in which he waved a knife at a passing vehicle with a rival inside.
He was already on three separate bail orders.
This week at Forfar Sheriff Court, he was sentenced to 15 months detention.
Relentless attack
McCagh, of Bloomfield Road, admitted injuring his young victim in a merciless attack on October 30 last year.
Fiscal depute Callum Gordon previously explained the pair had been at a house party in Arbroath earlier in the evening.
“Everyone was consuming alcohol,” he said.
The 15-year-old and another partygoer left shortly after midnight and began fighting outside on Montrose Road.
This was overhead by McCagh who left to intervene, despite being told not to.
McCagh began punching his victim – who cannot be named due to his age – knocking him to the ground, where he tried to cover his face to defend himself.
Even after the youngster passed out, McCagh kept punching.
‘You’ve just about killed him’
The attack was captured on camera and footage was shown to the court of McCagh’s relentless assault.
In the footage, another person could be heard shouting: “You’ve just about killed him.”
The boy was placed in the recovery position and an ambulance took him to Ninewells to be examined but he was discharged with bruising and complaining of a loose tooth.
McCagh later handed himself into Arbroath police station.
Mr Gordon said McCagh had come to the attention of police around eight months before.
He had been on Keptie Road in Arbroath at 3.30pm on February 20 when a vehicle passed with a male inside, with whom McCagh had a long-standing feud.
He became aggressive and produced a large, green-handled kitchen knife and was heard shouting “f***ing come on then”.
McCagh admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and possessing the knife.
Detention
McCagh appeared in court via a video link from HMP YOI Polmont.
His solicitor Nick Whelan said: “He had a limited record at the time of the offences.
“He was 17 at the time.
“He’s a young man with a plethora of difficulties.”
Sheriff Mark Thorley sentenced McCagh to 15 months detention for the assault.
He imposed concurrent custodial sentences for the incident involving the knife.
The sheriff said he had taken into account McCagh’s “age and immaturity” in doing so.
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