A Fife teenager attacked four young boys in under an hour, leaving one with a fractured skull.
Liam Meikle stamped on the head of one teenager and smashed a bottle across the heads of two others.
Meikle launched what a sheriff described as an ambush on the teenagers at a park in Markinch.
The victims, who are all under 16, were part of a gathering of up to 40 youths and were attacked by Meikle, who arrived in a taxi as they left the area.
Swinging Buckfast bottle
Fiscal depute Jill Currie told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court that due to the differing testimonies of witnesses, it was impossible to put a definitive time on each attack but all had taken place between 9.30 and 10.30pm.
She said the first victim had gone to Balbirnie Park with 10 friends in the afternoon of the day in question.
“They all met up with a number of others as part of a large group of 30 to 40 people.
“The accused was not known to them.
“(The victim and two friends) decided to leave the locus and go home.
“As they were leaving, a silver taxi pulled up and three men got out.
“As they approached, the accused swung a bottle of Buckfast at (his victim’s) head, causing it to smash.
“He was then pulled to the ground and kicked to the head.”
Left victim in critical condition
Meikle also demanded to know if his victim was another teenager, who was not known to the boy.
Shortly afterwards Meikle attacked a second boy, who was also leaving the park with friends.
As the boy walked past him Meikle swung another bottle of Buckfast at his head, causing it to smash.
Ms Currie said: “He then punched (the teen) three times in the head and whilst he was on the ground he repeatedly punched and kicked him, causing him to curl into a ball to protect himself.”
The teenager was able to escape after kicking out at Meikle but in the subsequent days went to A&E repeatedly, complaining of head pain.
A CT scan later revealed he had a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain and the boy was in a “critical” condition for several days in Edinburgh’s Sick Kid’s hospital.
Apology from accused
An attack on a third teenage boy only ceased when a bystander shouted “that’s a lassie” and a fourth boy was punched after laughing at what he believed to be a joke.
Solicitor Danielle Stringer, defending, said Meikle was just 17 at the time of the attacks.
She said: “It was a very serious incident and he accepts full responsibility for his actions.
“He’s had time to reflect on this and is very apologetic for his actions.
“He accepts the impact this will have had, not just on his victims but also on their families.”
Ambushed
Meikle, a prisoner at Polmont Young Offenders Institute, admitted attacking the four boys, one to the danger of his life, at Balbirnie Park in March this year.
Sentencing him, Sheriff William Wood said the attacks were little more than ambushes.
He said the second victim had suffered long-term effects, needing a plate in his skull and missing out on schooling.
He jailed Meikle for two years.
Once released, he will serve a further year under supervision.
