Teen ordered to pay victim £1000 in year

A TEENAGER who attacked a complete stranger, fracturing his skull, has been told to return to court in a year’s time with £1000 to pay compensation to his victim.

David Gilroy, of Ferry Road Drive, had pleaded guilty previously at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to assaulting Christopher Cathcart to his severe injury by punching him in the head in Bristo Square on August 27 last year.

Sheriff Alistair Noble had heard that the attack had been captured on CCTV and police released images to the media. After they were shown in the Evening News, witnesses contacted the force and Gilroy, 18, was arrested.

Gilroy had been refused admission to a nightclub minutes before the attack. He walked up to Mr Cathcart and punched him, causing him to fall over and fracturing his skull.

Sheriff Noble said he would defer sentence on him for a year for good behaviour and that he should return with £1000 in compensation for his victim. If he was of good behaviour and had the money, the Sheriff said he could deal with the matter by way of a Community Payback Order.