Attack teens are labelled 'cowards'

Brian Hossack • Published 6 Feb 2010 14:00

TWO terrified shop workers were attacked by a drunken teenage thug after a botched robbery.

Grant McKnight, 16, jumped over the counter and assaulted both women after they foiled his attempt to steal cigarettes from the Co-op in Dubbs Road, Port Glasgow, on 16 September, 2009.

The bungled raid came just three months after McKnight and co-accused Ryan McGarrigle, 16, launched a brutal, unprovoked attack on a 15-year-old schoolboy on 19 June, leaving him needing hospital treatment.

McKnight pleaded guilty to two charges of assault and McGarrigle to one charge of assault when they appeared at Greenock Sheriff Court on Wednesday, where they were labelled 'cowards' by Sheriff John Herald.

After hearing a plea from defence solicitor Gerry Keenan, the sheriff decided to defer sentence and place the pair on good behaviour bonds.

But he warned them: "I am not prepared to have shop workers assaulted and neither will I stand for a young boy, doing nothing more than walking around the streets, being assaulted by two cowards like you.

"It is only your ages that stop me from sending you to Polmont for a very long time."

Depute fiscal Tom Smyth said McKnight went into the Co-op just after 9pm, leapt over the counter and grabbed cigarettes. He added: "A struggle began with one worker and the accused punched and pulled at her. He then ran along the till area and put his arm around the second woman's neck and pulled at her. The first assistant had to drag McKnight off."

The court also heard McKnight, of Cromdale Road, and McGarrigle, of Slaemuir Avenue, both Port Glasgow, challenged the 15-year-old boy for his mobile phone in the town's Auchenbothie Road.

When he claimed to have no credit, they punched and kicked him on the head and body. The boy needed three stitches to a cut above his right thigh, and suffered bruising and swelling.

Sentence was deferred on McGarrigle for three months.

McKnight was told he will have sentence deferred every six weeks for good behaviour until 2012.

Tweet

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 06 Feb 10

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Follow @greenocktele