A VIOLENT thug who inflicted a ‘gaping wound’ on a funeral mourner by smashing a glass bottle into the man’s head and neck has been jailed.

Patrick Doherty armed himself with the weapon and attacked grieving Thomas Wilson following an ‘altercation’ within a Greenock pub.

Mr Wilson — who has been left scarred for life — had been paying his respects to 18-year-old Greenock girl Danielle McCallum, who died on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza last year.

But shortly after a poignant church service, multiple offender Doherty, 25, lashed out with a Vimto bottle at the Tail O’ The Bank bar and restaurant — cutting his victim just millimetres from his jugular vein.

Prosecutor Pamela Brady told Greenock Sheriff Court: “The accused struck Thomas Wilson on the back of the head with the bottle, which smashed on impact.

“Mr Wilson was immediately bleeding from a gaping wound.”
The court heard how the serious assault on October 6 last year was pre-meditated.

A CCTV camera had captured footage of Doherty — who was with friends and not part of the funeral group — picking up the bottle and putting it in his pocket after staff had ordered two groups to leave the premises.

But he went to ground in the wake of the incident and it was months later before police were able to trace him prior to an initial court appearance in April.

Fiscal depute Mrs Brady said: “There was some form of altercation between the two groups but it is not clear how it came about and all were asked to leave the premises.

“The complainer and his friends were seen to leave together through the front door of the pub.

“The accused was seen in the company of others and some people had been trying to calm him down.”

The court heard how Mr Wilson, 22 — who posted a picture of his injuries on Facebook — sustained a total of five lacerations. One cut was on the back of his head and the other four on the left side of his neck.

Mrs Brady said: “Nine internal staples and 12 external stitches were required to close the wounds, pictured left.

“The medical opinion is that he has been left with permanent scarring.”
Mr Wilson was taken in a friend’s car to Inverclyde Royal Hospital immediately after the attack while Doherty made off in a van, the court was told.

In his Facebook post, the injured man wrote: “Last night was nobody’s fault.

There are stories everywhere blaming certain people but the only person to really blame is the wee coward that snaked us. But hey, am still here and anno a could easily not have been.”

He added: “My mates were absolutely brilliant and thanks to everybody who helped me and got me to hospital so quickly.”

The Telegraph told in 2013 how Doherty was jailed for 11 months committing a knife offence against a taxi driver following an argument with the cabbie. 

Defence lawyer Ellen Macdonald said of the bottle attack that her client’s position is that he claims Mr Wilson made a ‘gesture’ which he ‘perceived as a threat’.

Ms Macdonald told the court: “Mr Doherty has been in a relationship for seven months which is described as positive. There have been representations by his partner to there being a different side to him.”

Sheriff Iain Fleming jailed Doherty for 18 months, backdating the sentence to April 12 when he was first remanded on the matter.

The lawman said: “You have been here before for violence on indictment and also a previous weapon offence on indictment.”

“There is no option but to impose a term of custody.”