A thug who photographed the victim of his brutal street murder bid committed has been sentenced to nine years in prison.
A judge expressed concerns Callum Campbell-Dunn was only at liberty to carry out the brutal attack on Daniel Horn because he had been freed early after a previous offence.
Campbell-Dunn stamped and jumped on the head of his defenceless victim and laughed at him as he took pictures during the attempted murder in Dunfermline last year.
Lady Rae said: “I note with some concern that you had only been released from custody some three months before this incident and, had it not been for the early release provisions, you would have been in custody on the date of this crime.”
The judge said: “The victim, Daniel Horn, in his early 20s, was a family man with a very young child. He cannot now work to support that family.”
Lady Rae said that Mr Horn had suffered life-changing injuries after sustaining a serious brain injury in the attack on December 20 last year.
The judge said: “For no apparent reason you struck the victim with a traffic cone, punched him to the ground, where, while defenceless, you proceeded repeatedly to kick him and jump and stamp on his head.
“Thereafter, displaying a callous indifference to his fate, you decided, instead of seeking help for him, to take photographs of his face and head, laughing while doing so.”
“Having viewed some of the horrific pictures which you took, I fail to comprehend how anyone could have found the sight depicted on these photographs as funny.”
She told Campbell-Dunn she would have ordered his detention for 12 years, but for his guilty plea.
Campbell-Dunn had been released from Polmont Young Offenders’ Institution three months earlier.
He was freed after serving half of a 19-month sentence imposed for a number of offences, including possession of a weapon and resisting arrest.
Defence counsel, David Nicolson, told the court: “It was an atrocious crime carried out in appalling circumstances with devastating consequences.
“He has issues with alcohol. He has anger issues.”
Unemployed Campbell-Dunn, of Barnhill Road, Dalgety Bay, earlier admitted attempting to murder Mr Horn near a car park at New Row, Dunfermline, after throwing a traffic cone at him, repeatedly punching him on the head, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly kicking, stamping and jumping on his head to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment and to the danger of his life.
The victim had been on a Christmas night out with work colleagues and family members in the town while Campbell-Dunn had been out drinking at bars.
Mr Horn had become separated from his brother when he encountered his attacker and his girlfriend, Samantha Mills. Campbell-Dunn had got into a heated argument with her after she took off her high heels, telling her to put her shoes back on.
Campbell-Dunn later claimed in a text message that the victim had confronted him but he laughed at him and threw the traffic cone “as a laugh” and knocked him out “and lost it and then jumped all over his head”.
In a further message he claimed he had lost his cool, but added: “Looking at 5 years for an attempted murder charge ain’t bad.”
In another message to his brother he said: “I don’t remember taking the pictures I think it was to find out who it was, but on the other hand I remember laughing at him.”
He added: “I have more pictures but deleted the worst ones of him which were horrible.”
He told his brother he had “mucked up big time” and needed to get away from Fife and that he thought he had killed his victim.
Police officers who looked through Campbell-Dunn’s phone found seven photos graphically showing the serious facial injuries sustained by Mr Horn.
Advocate depute Stewart Ronnie said: “The photographs show the severity of Mr Horn’s injuries, with his eyes closed, face heavily swollen and blood coming from his mouth and one of his eyes.”
Ms Mills had come across the victim lying unconscious and apparently struggling for breath and gurgling. She lifted his head and supported it and shouted at Campbell-Dunn: “What have you done.”
She told him to get an ambulance but it was only later that the emergency services were alerted to the plight of the attempted murder victim.
During an interview with police Campbell-Dunn said he “saw black and red, just snapped”. He could not remember what his victim had done to bring on the ferocious attack. He said he did not know the male he had assaulted and added he did not think the victim had tried to attack him.
Mr Horn suffered numerous facial fractures, with complex fractures to his left eye socket, cheekbone and jaw and bleeding on the brain.
