A thug who broke a man’s back with a pickaxe handle was jailed yesterday for the brutal attack.
Dominik Scott, 22, travelled from Falkirk to Paisley to carry out the armed attack on Connor Galbraith after a row broke out over social media app Snapchat.
Scott and two friends, Paul Eaton and Cameron Letham, used a hired Transit van to head to a party in Paisley’s Cochran Street, where his victim was with friends.
Scott and Letham confronted Mr Galbraith before he was hit across the back with the wooden weapon.
Once on the ground, Letham then laid into the stricken victim with punches.
Galbraith was left needing corrective spinal surgery.
The details emerged yesterday when all three men appeared in the dock at Paisley Pink knicker weirdo dad jailed for flashing in Ann Summers changing room over the events of September 9 last year.
Pink knicker weirdo dad jailed for flashing in Ann Summers changing room
Procurator Fiscal Depute John Penman told the court the attack took place in the early hours of the morning outside a flat.
The prosecutor explained: “This was a tie-in with a girl’s birthday.
“There were some Paisley boys who were invited to the party.
“There were some social media exchanges – I think they call it Snapchat – between boys in Falkirk and girls at the party.
“Matters escalated on social media and, eventually, what has happened is that Mr Scott and Mr Letham and a third party who appears to be the driver of what’s described as a Ford Transit made its way from Falkirk to Paisley.
“The females became aware of persons being outside the flat and a couple of them go outside.
“While that was going on, Connor Galbraith and his friends, I think there were five of them, leave the flat while they were outside, to the rear close door.
“The accuseds Scott and Letham left the rental van. Scott was in possession of what’s described as ‘a wooden pickaxe handle’.
“Scott struck Mr Galbraith on the back with the pickaxe handle.
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“This caused the complainer to fall to the ground, where he was struck again by Scott, again on the back with the pickaxe handle.
“Whilst he was lying on the ground, the accused Letham is observed to punch him on the head and body two or three times.”
The thugs ran off but were traced later and charged.
Mr Galbraith, who could not feel his back, was taken to hospital, where it emerged he had two fractures in his back.
He needed corrective surgery, including screws and rods being inserted in his spine.
Defence solicitor Kevin Brady said Scott had gone to Paisley with Eaton, 19, due to an argument about
money.
Lawyer Gordon Martin, representing Letham, 18, said he had been taken to Paisley without really knowing where they were going.
Sheriff Seith Ireland caged Scott for 28 months, reduced from three years as he admitted his guilt.
And he placed Letham on a Community Payback Order of 63 hours of unpaid work.
Eaton’s not guilty plea was accepted.
