Man Faces Jail For Attack At Kings Of Leon Gig

A man is facing jail for his part in an attack on a music fan at a Kings of Leon concert in Glasgow.

35 year old James Fitzpatrick bumped into Scott Baird at the outdoor gig at Bellahouston Park while he was there with his mum and fiance.

But after asking him what he was doing and moving him away, Fitzpatrick punched Mr Baird on the face.

His group then "turned" on Mr Baird, 26, and attacked him.

After squirming away from the group and pushing his partner and mother away from the fracas, Fitzpatrick and his friends pursued Mr Baird and attacked him a second time.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court Fitzpatrick, from Cathcart, Glasgow, was convicted of assaulting Mr Baird while acting with others, and repeatedly punching and kicking him on August 15, 2013.

Mr Baird was hit from behind with a bottle, leaving him scarred on his face and neck, but it not known who hit him and Fitzpatrick was not convicted of that.

In evidence Mr Baird said he moved the man who bumped into him away from him and that he then felt a "blow" across his face.

Procurator fiscal depute Scot Dignan asked the victim: "What was your response to the blow?"

The court heard Mr Baird shouted over the music asking what he was doing.

Asked what happened then Mr Baird said: "He was still trying to make his way towards me at this point."

Mr Baird told the jury that Fitzpatrick had a couple of friends with him and that they "turned" on him.

Mr Dignan asked: "When did you realise they were all turning on you?"

The witness replied: "As soon as I was grabbed by one of the males, I don't know which one it was, and pulled kind of towards them."

He described a fight breaking out and the men throwing punches at him.

Mr Baird told the court: "When they were attacking me I was just doing my best to protect myself as well as my mother and fiance. At the time I didn't know where they were or if they were in danger."

He was dragged to the ground but "squirmed" away and managed to stand up and push his fiance and mum away from the area.

But after only a metre or so he was attacked by the men for a second time.

During this attack one of the group - not Fitzpatrick - smacked him on the head with a bottle.

He described feeling a "heavy impact" on the crown of his skull and believed a bottle was smashed.

Mr Baird, whose t-shirt was ripped off during the attack, said he took hold of one of the men and at that, the police arrived.

He was treated by a paramedic and taken to the Southern General hospital.

Fitzpatrick's friends ran off but he was pointed out to officers when they arrived and detained.

Sheriff Daniel Scullion deferred sentence on Fitzpatrick until a later date for reports.