Teen jailed over 'savage' shopping centre attack on frail OAP

A TEENAGER who carried out a "savage" attack on a pensioner was sentenced to six years' detention yesterday, after a judge watched footage of the assault.

Sean Collins, 18, repeatedly kicked and stamped on Maxwell Brownlee's head, and stopped at one point to put back on his trainer after it had fallen off.

The late-night incident in Dundee's Whitfield shopping centre was captured on CCTV.

After viewing the film, Lord Brailsford told Collins: "This was plainly an assault carried out on an innocent person with considerable ferocity and savagery."

Collins, of Myrtlehall Gardens, Dundee, admitted attempting to murder Mr Brownlee, 68, on 7 April last year.

The High Court in Edinburgh was told that Mr Brownlee, an alcoholic, had previously suffered a stroke and was "quite frail and infirm". He was well known in the local community and was often seen walking around the Whitfield area. Collins approached him just before midnight and they began talking.

"Without warning, he punched Mr Brownlee causing him to stagger and fall to the ground," said the advocate– depute, Morag Jack."

Mr Brownlee was taken to Ninewells Hospital, but could remember nothing about the attack. He had sustained several small cuts and scratches, and a swollen forehead. He now lives in a care home."

The defence solicitor-advocate, Chris Fyffe, said Collins was sorry and had written a letter to Mr Brownlee. It stated: "I am sorry for what I done that night. I was really drunk. I was only trying to help you at the start, then I thought you were just throwing it back in my face. But you were drunk, too, so you probably had no idea what was going on. I wish I could change things back but that is not going to happen."