Disabled man left 'disgusted' by yob's community service

A DISABLED man today hit out at a sheriff's decision not to jail a thug who punched and head- butted him in an attack on a city bus.

Ian Brown, 52, left father-of-one Steven Davidson battered and bloodied after chasing after the bus on which he was travelling to assault him.

Brown was handed 200 hours of community service at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday despite Sheriff Kathrine Mackie telling him that the offence "merits a custodial sentence".

Today, Mr Davidson said he had been left scared of bumping into Brown, who was previously jailed for assault and robbery.

He said that Brown had picked on him for years because of his learning difficulties.

Mr Davidson was heading to a training session with his special needs football team when he was attacked on the number 26 bus on Portobello High Street.

The 42-year-old said: "I'm very disappointed in the decision. I think it's disgusting that he's basically walked away after seriously assaulting me. He should've got a jail sentence.

"The assault took place on 13 May last year when Brown spotted Mr Davidson on the bus and began calling him names.

After Mr Davidson shouted back, "I'm not, you are," Brown jumped in his car and chased the bus before getting onboard.

Brown head-butted Mr Davidson in the face before starting to punch him. The bus driver called the police and Brown, of Milton Street, Abbeyhill, was arrested.

Mr Davidson, who suffered brain damage from birth after being starved of oxygen in the womb, was left afraid to leave his home. He suffered a burst nose, as well as a cut to his eye, and scratches.

His partner, Susan Wright, 32, the mother of their two-year-old daughter, Chelsea,

said: "Ian Brown is an animal and he should've been locked up.

I feel like he's got away with it and it leaves us afraid to walk the streets."

Sheriff Mackie, who heard that Brown had not been in trouble since 2002, said: "The circumstances of this assault appear to be a very deliberate attack. I take a very serious view of this and it merits a custodial sentence.

"Having regard to the terms of the report and the fact that your offending history appears to have stopped some years ago, in these circumstances I am prepared to accept there is an alternative".

Outside court, Brown refused to comment on the assault.