Man who left victim brain-damaged in bottle attack jailed
Gordon Cardle, 25, attacked James Melville, 55, with a buckfast bottle
A man who left a stranger brain-damaged after smashing him over the head with a bottle was today jailed for five years and three months.
Gordon Cardle attacked 55-year-old James Melville with a Buckfast bottle in Maryhill last December.
His victim suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain and had to undergo lifesaving surgery.
Jailing 25-year-old Cardle judge Lord Mulholland told him: "This was a cowardly and unprovoked assault on a stranger.
“You were motivated with anger at what was going on in your life that day. You took your rage out on a member of the public.”
The High Court in Glasgow heard that Cardle has previous convictions for violence, including two which involved him attacking strangers.
As a result of the brutal assault, which caused Mr Melville to fall to the ground hitting his head, he now suffers from headaches, irritability and a change of personality.
The court heard Cardle tried to flee from police, but ran straight into a lamp-post and ended up sprawled on the ground.
Prosecutor Eoghainn MacLean told the High Court in Glasgow: “As he turned (to see where officers were), Cardle ran into a lamp-post, fell down, got up, but was caught.”
Cardle pled guilty to assaulting Mr Melville to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment and to the danger of life.
Mr Melville had been walking near the city's Maryhill shopping centre last December 18 before the unprovoked attack.
Mr MacLean said: “Cardle appeared and struck Mr Melville with the Buckfast bottle and fell backwards unconscious.
“He struck a hard surface with a loud thump and started bleeding profusely.”
Witnesses raced out to help Mr Melville – a cleansing worker – as Cardle crouched over him.
Police soon turned up and initially spoke to Cardle who gave “contradictory” accounts of what happened.
Officers then noticed blood on him and he ran off before smacking into the pole.
The court heard Mr Melville needed extensive surgery and may have died without help.
Cardle's QC Thomas Ross said: “He had problems caused by alcohol and street Valium. He is filled with shame and regret. He is disgusted by his actions."
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