An elderly cyclist was knocked down and battered in a road rage incident, unaware his attacker was a gun-toting drug dealer.
Ian Kerr, 68, was cycling with his wife Janice when thug Patrick Barclay drove his car at them and carried out a vicious and sustained attack.
Barclay chased them around the streets of Tayport before confronting Mr Kerr and challenging him to a fight, Dundee Sheriff Court was told.
He punched the pensioner and knocked him down twice, before continuing to rain blows down on him as he cowered on the ground.
Barclay simply walked off and left the blood-soaked cyclist on the ground, before driving away from the scene.
Mr Kerr needed ten stitches and was left scarred for life.
Chased cycling couple
Mr Kerr was unaware the random attack was carried out by Barclay while he was waiting to go to court to face drug dealing and pistol-whipping charges.
Barclay, 27, from St Andrews, admitted attacking Mr Kerr by driving a Vauxhall Insignia towards him, before repeatedly punching him to the head and body to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Fiscal depute Lora Apostolova told the court: “Ian Kerr and his wife were cycling when they became aware of the vehicle driving towards them.
“As it passed, the accused sounded his horn and gesticulated.
“He was not known to them.
“They continued cycling and became aware of the accused behind them.
“He sounded his horn again but did not pass them.
“He shouted at Mr Kerr and swerved towards him.
“They pulled into a campsite and then became aware of the accused behind them again, approaching at speed.
“Mr Kerr dismounted because he was afraid of what would happen, while Mrs Kerr cycled on.
“Mr Kerr took a photograph of the car.”
Punched to the ground
The fiscal said: “The accused stopped the car and got out.
“Mr Kerr told him he had taken a photograph to send to police.
“He said there had been enough room for him to pass.
“The accused appeared angry.
“He punched Mr Kerr in the face.
“Mr Kerr staggered backwards as he was holding his bike.
“He was punched a second time and fell to the ground.
He told police it had been an upsetting and very frightening experience.”
— Fiscal depute Lora Apostolova.
“He got up but was punched a third time, causing him to fall again.
“The accused continued to punch him while he was on the ground.
“The accused shouted at him to ‘f***ing stay down.’
“He picked up Mr Kerr’s bike and threw it to the verge.
“He drove off.
“The victim was bleeding heavily from facial injuries.
“He required a total of ten stitches.
“He told police it had been an upsetting and very frightening experience.”
Sheriff George Way deferred sentence for reports.
Pistol-whipping conviction
Solicitor Jim Laverty, defending, said Barclay had been jailed for five years from March this year for another case heard at the High Court.
Barclay repeatedly pistol-whipped Jamie Laws during a terrifying assault in November 2020.
As he was carrying out the attack he repeatedly fired shots from the “Glock-style” pistol inside a house in Tayport.
Officers investigating the vicious and sustained attack later found cannabis and more than £37,000 in banknotes at Barclay’s home.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard Barclay and Mr Laws knew each other but no reason was given about the motives for the attack.
Barclay pointed the gun towards three people in the living room, with his finger on the trigger, whilst shouting incoherently.
Prosecutor Gavin Anderson said: “The accused discharged the gun twice towards the wall and floor of the hallway.
“The accused and Mr Laws continued to struggle into the communal area outside the flat and then into the rear garden of the property.
“During this time the accused continued to strike Mr Laws about the head with the gun.”
Mr Anderson said police arrested Barclay at his home and found cannabis with a street value of £600 and £37,820 in mixed bank notes.
He pled guilty to a charge of being concerned in the supply of cannabis between August 2020 and November 10, 2020.
He also admitted assaulting Mr Laws two days before, to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life.
For all the latest from the court rooms of Tayside and Fife, join our Facebook group.
