Police officer left for dead in brutal assault by gang

A FERAL gang brutally attacked an off-duty police officer after he accidentally bumped into one of them in his car.

- By Grant McCabe and Richard Elias

Two of the drunken mob were subject to 20 separate bail orders at the time of the horror attack as well as being under night-time curfews.

Victim Stuart Rochead was so badly traumatised that he has given up frontline policing duties after a 19-year career.

Yesterday, the High Court in Glasgow was told how he was targeted by the gang who had earlier caused havoc on a train.

Mr Rochead was punched, kicked, hit with glass bottles and bludgeoned with rocks and stones before being left for dead.

Four of the gang have now admitted to their roles in the shocking attack, which occurred at Blantyre train station in south Lanarkshire last March.

Two of the assailants were subject to a combined 20 bail orders at the time and were also on curfews to keep them at home at night.

Lauren Neary, now 18, and Robert Faulds, 20, pled guilty to an attempted murder charge.

Alec Fallon, 19, and a now 16-year-old boy who cannot be identified due to his age admitted assaulting Mr Rochead to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment as well as to the danger of his life.

Bottles

All four were remanded by Lord Arthurson pending sentencing next month.

They had been part of a rowdy mob causing bother and annoying passengers on a train shortly before the attack.

They got off at Blantyre around 9pm, around the same time Mr Rochead drove into the station.