Sheriff condemns thug's 'unprovoked' and 'cowardly' attack on Borders barmaid
Last updated 3rd Apr 2023
A thug who knocked a Borders barmaid unconscious has been jailed for six months.
But Selkirk Sheriff Court heard Patrick Mongan is already serving an 18-month prison sentence at HMP Durham for another matter and today's sentence won't affect his release date.
The 20-year-old - who was also given 14 days as an alternative to a fine for driving his mum's mobility car without insurance - is due to be freed on September 25th.
Karen Cunningham (pictured above) was working at the Bridge Inn in Galashiels on June the 4th last year when she heard a disturbance and went outside to investigate.
But, as soon as she stepped onto Island Street, she was punched in the face and knocked unconscious.
Her nose was broken in the unprovoked attack and has had to be reset twice.
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Mongan - who gave an address in Londonderry - admitted assaulting the grandmother to her severe injury during an earlier court appearance and sentence was deferred for reports.
His solicitor, Ed Hulme, said his client had been involved in a disagreement, which escalated. But he said Mongan's position is he must have been aiming a punch at someone else and the complainer got in the way.
Sheriff Peter Paterson condemned the "unprovoked" and "cowardly" attack which, he said, was made worse by Mongan running away.
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The court heard Mongan pled guilty to the driving charge after his mum's car was found on its roof, on the A708 road, between Selkirk and Moffat, on April 17th last year.
In addition to the prison sentence, he had six penalty points added to his licence and will have to resit his driving test.
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