‘Cycle rage’ father faces lengthy prison term

Graeme Brankin at Dundee Court yesterday. Picture: Alan Richardson

A CYCLIST who chased a 70-year-old on his bike before assaulting him in a row over the right of way on a road was yesterday facing a “lengthy” jail term.

Graeme Brankin followed his victim from Dundee city centre for around a mile before hitting him so hard that his eye socket and cheekbone were fractured.

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A jury was told that the pair had argued over the right of way in the city’s High Street.

The pensioner was cycling when he heard shouting from behind him with Brankin – who went on to carry out an almost identical attack 11 months later - calling him “blind” and “stupid”.

The OAP cycled off but later sensed someone behind him.

After another argument, Brankin struck the man so hard his glasses and hearing aid fell off and his legs buckled, causing him to fall from his bicycle.

A jury at Dundee Sheriff Court heard the man needed an operation to insert three metal plates in his face a result of the attack.

Meanwhile Brankin – who has a string of previous convictions for violence – simply cycled off.

A three-day trial heard from another victim of an almost identical attack elsewhere in the city, which took place almost a year later.

In that second cycle rage attack, the victim said he was hit by Brankin in a park and woke up later in Ninewells Hospital.

A witness said “super angry” Brankin screamed at the man, before punching him in the face.

As the man fell to the ground, Brankin, a father of four, struck him twice again before once again cycling off.

The witness said he was concerned for the man, who was covered in blood, and put him in the recovery position, fearing he would choke.

Brankin, 49, a prisoner at HMP Perth, had denied charges of assault to severe injury and assault to injury. But the jury took less than 30 minutes to find him guilty of both attacks.

He was convicted of assaulting the pensioner by repeatedly striking him on the head, causing him to fall from his bicycle to the ground, to his severe injury in September, 2013.

Brankin was also found guilty of assaulting another man by repeatedly punching him on the head, knocking him to the ground and rendering him unconscious to his injury in August last year.

Larry Flynn, defending, said: “Mr Brankin is under no illusion he faces a custodial sentence.”

Sheriff George Way deferred sentence until next month for background reports.

He said: “The jury have found him guilty of extreme, sudden and very effective violence.

“He should be in no doubt to expect a lengthy custodial sentence for these cowardly crimes.”

Sentence was deferred until 9 January for criminal justice social work background reports and Brankin was remanded in custody until then.

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