A barbaric attack in homeless accommodation left a man with traumatic brain injuries and months in hospital.
William Lochrie now struggles to cut up food and fasten his trousers because of Kieran Saunders’ savagery.
Repeat offender Saunders, 33, was jailed after he admitted battering Mr Lochrie in the Lang House building on High Street, Kirkcaldy, on August 28.
He was the subject of five separate bail orders.
Devastating impact
The High Court in Dundee was told how Mr Lochrie, 43, who had “pre-existing” mobility issues, was attacked earlier in the evening, before being pounced on by Saunders.
Shocking CCTV footage from within the stairwell showed Saunders striking him against a wall, grabbing his throat, punching him multiple times and kicking him.
He was heard to shout: “Get up or I’ll f*****g murder you” and leaving Mr Lochrie in a pool of blood.
Judge Alistair Watson said: “To put it short, your victim has been left with brain damage and his quality of life has been permanently and significantly damaged.
“While I hear what’s been said about some earlier attack, there is no evidence that had any significant contributory effect.
“You have to take responsibility for the injuries sustained in this extremely violent, unprovoked and sustained attack.”
Brutal attack
The court was told how Saunders, previously of Stirling, had moved into the hostel a week before the incident and was a stranger to Mr Lochrie.
Saunders and Mr Lochrie had been drinking separately with other men and were seen on CCTV turning into Bell Inn Wynd at around 10.30pm.
Mr Lochrie was found by a passer-by at around 11pm, unconscious on the roadway with a bleeding mouth and a swollen left eye.
He stumbled off towards Lang House and CCTV caught Saunders’ attack at around 11.45pm.
Advocate depute Neil McCulloch said: “After the complainer has passed, the accused emerges from the doorway and approaches him from behind.
“He seizes him by the neck and shoulder and pushes him so the back of his head is struck against the wall of the common close.
“The complainer is seized by the throat and pinned against the wall before being thrown to the ground.”
Saunders then pinned his head to the concrete step and punched him “forcefully” to the face nine times in “rapid succession”.
The court was told how Saunders continued to pin him by the neck and punched him a further seven times.
He then tried to put Mr Lochrie in the recovery position but delivered five further punches before kicking him on the body before walking off.
Mr Lochrie could be seen on the footage lying on his back and badly injured.
Months of treatment
A blood-covered Saunders then told the manager of Lang House: “I’m sorry mate, you need to phone the police.”
Police and ambulance were summoned after the manager found Mr Lochrie lying in a “pool of blood”.
Saunders waited for the police to arrest him and said: “I done what I need to do.”
Mr Lochrie was treated at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for a subdural haematoma and a cerebral contusion, as well as a broken bone and cuts to his eye led and inner lip.
He was treated in the intensive care unit for respiratory failure and was under sedation until September 19.
On October 7, he was transferred to the Thistle Suite rehabilitation centre in Stirling, where he was aided with speech therapy, washing and dressing and now walks with a limp. He was discharged on November 12.
Mr Lochrie’s father said his son’s short-term memory is “gone” and he needs help cutting up food and fastening his trousers.
Sentencing
Saunders pled guilty via video link from HMP Perth to assaulting Mr Lochrie to the danger of his life.
Defence counsel Sarah Livingstone said: “There was a confrontation at Bell Inn Wynd in which Mr Saunders was assaulted by the complainer.
“He managed to get away but another party was involved in further assaulting the complainer.
“That’s the catalyst for what then happened.”
Saunders was sentenced to five years in prison consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving.
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