One punch left victim lying unconscious with brain bleeds in Falkirk street

Steven Rowan, 28, appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pleaded guilty to assaulting a man – punching him on the head causing him to fall to the ground ans strike his head on the pavement, rendering him unconscious – in Melville Street, Falkirk on August 21, 2021.

Bernadette Cuthbertson, procurator fiscal depute, said: “It was 11.40pm and the witness was standing outside in his role as door steward – the complainer was refused entry to the premises due to his level of intoxication.

"The accused then punched the complainer once, causing him to fall to the ground. This punch, which was observed by members of the public at the time. knocked the complainer unconscious.

"One witness said ‘what was that all about?’ and the accused said ‘he deserved it’. Police attended and the accused was identified as being responsible for the assault.”

The victim was taken to A&E and was found to have a cut lip and two small bleeds on his brain that did not require surgery. Information contained within a victim impact statement claimed he had suffered some hearing loss in his right ear.

Defence solicitor Stephen Biggam said the motivation behind the assault was the man was attempting to sexually assault one of Rowan’s friends.

Mr Biggam added: “He had lost sight of the man and he was concerned the man had gone after his friend. He struck him once on the head and walked away. There doesn’t seem to be any lasting damage and there was a full recovery for the complainer."

Mr Biggam said Rowan was not someone who usually involves himself in this “type of conduct”.

Sheriff John MacRitchie said Rowan, 22 Glamis Gardens, Polmont, had one previous relevant conviction relating to conduct at a football match and he noted there was no danger to life in this assault.

He placed Rowan on a community payback order with the condition he complete 180 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.