An Angus schoolboy has been convicted while sitting an exam after admitting to a brutal gang assault filmed on his mobile.
Dhruv Sharma, 17, was in a general level biology exam at Arbroath Academy on Wednesday when his solicitor entered a plea of guilty to his role in a vicious five-man attack on a 20-year-old man with learning difficulties.
Arbroath Sheriff Court was shown video footage taken on Sharma’s phone showing him and four co-accused repeatedly punching, kicking and stamping on their victim as he lay on the ground pleading for help.
Sheriff Peter Paterson said it was “not acceptable” that Sharma had ditched the morning court appearance and police were sent to the school to verify his story.
Sharma, of Ernest Street, Arbroath, admitted assaulting a man in the town’s Dens Road on August 6 by kicking him in the head and body to his injury.
Steven McAdam, North Grimsby, Arbroath, admitted repeatedly punching the man on the head and stamping on his body to his injury and threatening him with violence.
Josh Stott, 17, of North Grimsby, admitted punching him on his body.
Brandon Young, 17, of Gedy Place, admitted repeatedly punching his face and head and repeatedly stamping on his head to his injury.
Jordan Cooper, 18, of Blackness Road, Dundee, admitted seizing him by the clothing and repeatedly punching him on the head and body to his injury.
The court heard the attack was filmed by a witness using Sharma’s phone and the file had been saved as “Matty getting battered.”
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said: “All seven had been walking through a park known locally as the Dammy. McAdam punched the complainer for no reason and the other accused participated in assaulting him.”
The harrowing video showed the man screaming and shouting “stop it” as he covered his head to shield the blows.
One of the teenagers could be heard laughing as the sickening assault unfolded over two minutes.
Ms Drummond said all five attackers had admitted their guilt to police after being traced in the months following the incident.
Defence agent Keith Mackinnon said Sharma had come to the UK from India around a year-and-a-half ago and described him as an “intelligent young man”.
He said the complainer had made a racist remark to his client the day before the attack.
After failing to appear for the morning calling, Sharma attended a rescheduled hearing at 2pm.
Mr Mackinnon said: “The DVD does make harrowing viewing, there is no getting away from that. Mr Sharma is ashamed in relation to his part in the assault.”
Representing McAdam, Stott and Cooper, solicitor Billy Rennie said at least two of the group had had “ill feeling” towards the victim.
He added: “Perhaps by good fortune rather than anything else, there doesn’t seem to have been any significant injury.”
Appearing for Young, solicitor Lynne Sturrock said the complainer had been sending texts to her client’s girlfriend before the incident.
Sheriff Paterson called for reports on all five accused and deferred sentence until June 18.
He told both McAdam and Cooper that a custodial sentence is utmost in his mind.
With the exception of Cooper, who is already serving detention, all of the teenagers were bailed, with McAdam put on a curfew from 7pm to 7am at his mother’s address.