Amateur boxer, who knocked out man at bus station, spared jail
Reece Porter, 19, smacked Greg Johnson as he made his way towards a cab at the rank at Buchanan Bus Station
An amateur boxer who knocked a man unconscious with a single punch during an argument over a taxi has been spared jail. Reece Porter, 19, smacked Greg Johnson as he made his way towards a cab at the rank at Buchanan Bus Station. Mr Johnson fell to the ground, hit his head and was knocked unconscious.
Police were on the scene immediately and found Mr Johnson on the ground “in a pool of blood”. Porter, from Colston, Glasgow was caught on CCTV and was later tracked down by police and admitted what he did. He pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to assaulting Mr Johnson to his injury on July 24, 2016 at the bus station.
Sheriff Alayne Swanson handed him a community payback order with the condition he carries out 160 hours of unpaid work within six months. She told him: “Your behaviour on this occasion does you no credit whatsoever. It’s a very serious matter and clearly a fairly serious injury has occurred.”
Procurator fiscal depute Claire Wallace said that around 3.30am at the queue at the taxi rank there was a dispute about who was at the front. She said Mr Johnson “challenged” Porter who said “What are you going to do? Are you going to punch me?”
When another taxi arrived and Mr Johnson walked towards it, Porter attacked him.
Miss Wallace said: “The accused punched him to the left side of his face with his right hand, striking his cheek, causing him to all backwards and to the floor, striking his head off the ground.
“Police officers attended immediately and observed Mr Johnson to be lying on the ground in a pool of blood.”
He was taken to the Royal Infirmary Hospital where he was treated for a cut to his face and also suffered swelling and bruising.
Paul Hannah, defending, said Porter is in his third year of an apprenticeship and said the social work report compiled is “positive”.