Man left half-brother brain damaged after striking him with spade during row over being 'Scottish or British'

A man left his half-brother brain-damaged after a heated row over whether they were Scottish or British.

William Ritchie, 50, smacked the man over the head with a spade, having initially been sitting chatting in their mother’s back garden on June 11, 2024.

The 44-year-old was rushed to the hospital, suffering from a potentially life-threatening injury.

He was able to leave around two weeks later, but remains badly affected.

Ritchie was jailed on Friday for more than four years at the High Court in Glasgow after he pleaded guilty to the attack.

The victim lived with his parents at a house in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, where the crime occurred.

Ritchie had been helping carry out extensive construction work in the garden of a neighbour of his mum that day.

He later joined his family in their home in the evening.

Ritchie sat with his half-brother in the back garden, which had a patio area and a small allotment, as their mum made dinner.

The pair were initially “chatting amicably”.

But, prosecutor Donald Davidson then explained: “A short time after Ritchie had joined his half-brother, an argument started.

“[Their mother’s partner] went out to see what was going on.

“He could hear Ritchie and Andrew shouting at each other about being ‘Scottish’ or ‘British’.

“The incident escalated quickly. Both began to argue aggressively about their national identity.”

Ritchie then grabbed a spade and swung it above him.

“Ritchie used it to strike [his half-brother] on the head with force.

“The man fell to the ground, and he suffered a further injury as a result of this.

“On seeing what happened, [their mother] walked out of her kitchen and shouted: ‘Oh no’.”

A panicked Ritchie dropped the spade, raced inside to get a towel, and soaked it in water before returning to his stricken sibling.

Mr Davidson said: “He then ran into the house again and got various frozen items to treat [the victim’s injuries].”

The attacker also went to a neighbour to get ice.

More towels were used to try to stem the victim’s heavy bleeding.

He was soon rushed to hospital by ambulance after suffering a bleed on the brain and a skull fracture, as well as injuries to his chest, stomach and arm.

He needed surgery as well as rehab therapy.

He was eventually able to leave hospital a fortnight after the attack.

Mr Davidson stated: “The head injury sustained was severe and potentially life-threatening.

“There is likely to be long-term impairment to [the victim’s] cognitive functioning as well as issues with his left arm and right hand as a result of the incident.”

Ritchie, also of Airdrie, pled guilty to assaulting the victim to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment as well as to the danger of his life.

He had initially faced an attempted murder allegation.

Rhonda Anderson, defending, said: “He is genuinely remorseful and determined that nothing like this will happen again.”

Lady Hood sentenced Ritchie to four years and four months, cutting the term from six and a half years due to the plea.

The judge told him: “The victim impact statement prepared on your brother’s behalf makes clear the daily difficulties that he now experiences as a result of the serious injuries that you inflicted.”

Ritchie was also made subject of a non-harassment order banning him from approaching or contacting his half-brother for the next ten years.