16 admit they took part in Cumnock attack

Oct 17 2008

A GANG of armed thugs descended on Cumnock and battered an innocent young man unconscious.

A total of 16 teenagers from Drongan and Auchinleck admitted their part in the sickening events in November last year.

And 14 others also face charges relating to the gang attack.

The horrific assault was captured on CCTV and provoked gasps of horror when it was shown in court.

David McKelvie, Lee Nimmo, Thomas Milne, David Lennox, Derek Graham, Scott Caddis, Martin Giraldas, Josh Johnston, Marc Muir, Teejay Little, Darren Nimmo, Shaun Burley, Garry Milligan and three youths under the age of 16 all appeared in the dock at Ayr Sheriff Court to face the consequences of their actions.

The public gallery in court two was packed with the families of the young thugs.

Prosecutor Jim Kelman told Sheriff John Montgomery that police indicated one of the gang members was assaulted the day before this incident.

Mr Kelman continued: “Youths from Drongan went to Auchinleck and met with others before all going on to Cumnock.

“It seems they had a pre-arranged rendezvous with youths from Cumnock, however the Cumnock youths did not appear.

“They made their way into the town centre. At around 7.24pm they entered The Square. Their movements are seen by CCTV and recorded.”

The court was shown the disturbing video footage which sees the gang select their first victim at random.

The young man desperately tries to stay on his feet as the gang rain blows on him.

Remarkably, he manages to break free but staggers, giving the gang another chance to pounce on him.

Further bids for freedom prove fruitless. He is pulled to the ground and disappears from vision as the gang surround him.

Eventually they disperse leaving the unconscious victim lying in a doorway.

But Josh Johnstone is then seen sprinting toward him and delivering a final kick before running off to join the gang before they hunted down their second victim.

Mr Kelman added: “It is good fortune that the victim wasn’t severely injured. Given the incident, it’s somewhat surprising.”

McKelvie, 18, Caddis, 17, Muir, 16, Milligan, 16, Lennox, 17, all admitted that on November 10 last year at The Square, The Tanyard and elsewhere in Cumnock conducting themselves in a disorderly manner, forming part of a disorderly crowd, shouting, swearing, chanting, uttering threats, brandishing bottles, poles, golf clubs, sticks, chains, metal bars and similar implements and committing a breach of the peace.

Lee Nimmo, 18, Milne, 17, Caddis, Muir, Darren Nimmo, 16, Burley, 16, Graham, 17, Johnston, 16, Giraldas, 17, and two others under the age of 16 admitted assaulting their victim at The Square by punching and kicking him on the head and body, causing him to fall to the ground, repeatedly chasing him, striking him on the head and body with chains, sticks, bottles or similar implements until he lost consciousness and spitting on him.

Milne, Caddis, Little, 16, Burley, Milligan, Giraldas and two others under the age of 16 also admitted an assault at The Tanyard where they chased their 15-year-old victim, kicked and punched him on the head and body, caused him to fall to the ground and struck him on the head and body with a stick or similar implement all to his injury.

The other youths accused of taking part in the incidents are maintaining their pleas of not guilty and will be tried later this year.

Sheriff Montgomery called for background reports and community service assessments on the boys.

But he issued a stern warning that he is leaving all options open, including custodial sentences.

They will be sentenced next month.