Brian Ramsay Deserves 10 years in Jail

A teenager was left for dead after being repeatedly beaten by a man he tried to help.

Angus Gallacher was walking home from a night out with friends in Gorebridge, Midlothian when he saw Brian Ramsay, 25, lying on his back in a petrol station forecourt.

The 18-year-old helped him to his feet, took him to a shop to get food and helped him across the road.

Ramsay then turned on him, battering him in the face and dragging him to a nearby house where he attacked him again.

Neighbours called the police who found Mr Gallacher lying unconscious in the street.

Speaking about the attack he said: "He just turned on me. My mind went a bit blank and all I thought was 'I should protect myself as much as I can'.

"He must have realised what he had done because he dragged me to his house to get me cleaned up. Then he hit me again in the garden and I have no recollection after that."

Mr Gallacher was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after the attack on October 26 last year where he was treated for 13 cranial fractures, three broken fingers, fractured ribs and a damaged ear drum.

He had to have a titanium plate implanted behind his eyebrow.

Mr Gallagher woke up in a hospital bed, confused by where he was.

He said: "I was really confused when I woke up. I couldn't open my eyes as they were swollen shut.

"It has changed everything. You get all paranoid. I try to avoid going out on my own at night now. It would definitely make me think twice about helping somebody now."

Ramsay was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday after admitting assault.

Mr Gallacher and his parents have criticised the sentence, which has been backdated to October 27, when Ramsay was first remanded.

Mother Amanda Gallacher said: "My husband and I are totally shocked and think it's disgusting.

"I don't know the definition of a long time but 18 months doesn't seem to be very long. It's not justice. He was only helping someone and this was his reward."

When police came to their door in the middle of the night, Mrs Gallacher said she thought Angus was dead.

She added: "When we were taken to the resuscitation unit where Angus was, my husband couldn't walk through the door.

"He just gripped my arm and said 'my God, what have they done to my boy'. I couldn't recognise him.

"His head was about five times the size it should have been. He was covered in blood.

"The police photographer who came along said she had never seen such damage before in her life. That's why we are so upset with what we heard in court."