A thug who carried out a “cowardly and sub-human” attack on two strangers as they walked home from a night out in Glenrothes has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.
Daniel McGraw, 33, appeared from custody at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to plead guilty to, with others, assaulting and robbing the men in Dornoch Place in the early hours of December 2 2023.
Accomplices David Purvis and James Ellis were previously jailed for three years and 32 months respectively for their roles in the attack.
The victims were repeatedly kicked, punched and struck in the head and body with a wooden bat or similar instrument.
They were both knocked unconscious during the attack, which was captured on CCTV and lasted about ten minutes.
Prosecutor Joanne Ritchie said one victim recalled a screwdriver being at his neck and one of the attackers telling him: “I am going to kill you if you don’t tell us your PIN code.”
Both men were robbed of their phones and one had his wallet taken.
One suffered facial injuries and needed stitches on his nose.
The other had bruising and swelling around his jaw.
Unprovoked attack
The fiscal depute told the court the two victims were set upon just before 3am as they walked home from a friend’s house, having earlier been at Styx nightclub.
One recalled being approached by two men who asked for a cigarette.
He handed over the last of his cigarettes before walking on.
He said his friend was then struck in the head “out of nowhere” from behind by someone holding what he thought was a pool cue.
The fiscal depute said that during the attack, McGraw grabbed one of the men and struck him to the body nine times with an unknown object.
The attackers walked away after the assault, leaving both men lying motionless on the ground.
Afterwards, the victims made their way to one of their parents’ homes, where one collapsed in the hallway until police and paramedics arrived.
‘Sub-human’
When McGraw’s home was later searched, police seized items of clothing and a screwdriver.
Sheriff James Williamson told McGraw: “This was a cowardly, sub-human attack on two men minding their own business”.
The sheriff jailed him for 42 months.
Defence lawyer Martin McGuire said McGraw, formerly of Malcolm Road, was taking benzodiazepines at the time of the offences and associating with others with similar lifestyles.
The solicitor said McGraw is a qualified painter and decorator and hopes to remain drug-free in future and get back to work.
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