A gang who accused a vulnerable man of being a “beast” before chasing him around Glasgow until he threw himself out of a second floor flat window acted like a “pack of animals”, a judge said yesterday.
The group of eight people were captured on security cameras as they pursued Ivor Miller through the city centre in August 2014. The 27-year-old, who has learning difficulties, tried to hide in a succession of pubs before running into a derelict flat, where he jumped out of a window and suffered a severe injury.
The incident began in central Glasgow when Jade Park, 19, accused Mr Miller of being “a beast” before walking over to him and punching him in the head. He sought refuge in the gents toilets of a nearby pub, but was eventually chased by the gang into Howard Street, where he forced open the door of a derelict second floor flat and leapt out of the window.
“This whole incident, some of which was captured on CCTV, is extremely disturbing. The group, like a pack of animals, turned on an entirely innocent young man for no good reason other than he behaved differently because he has learning difficulties,” said judge Norman Ritchie QC as he passed sentence at the High Court in Glasgow.
Three of those who pursued Mr Miller were originally charged with attempted murder. Michael Clare, 21, from Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, and two 17-year-old youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had their guilty pleas to charges of assault accepted.
Another 17-year-old youth, a 16-year-old girl, a 16-year-old youth and 23-year-old David Newlands, from Maryhill, Glasgow, admitted committing a breach of the peace and placing Mr Miller in a state of fear and alarm.
One of the 17-year-olds was sentenced to six months detention for assault. The judge ordered all the others to complete 150 hours of community work, deferring Park’s sentence until June for good behaviour.
