Men admit pole attack on couple over child's park injuries

Two men carried out an attack on a couple they blamed for a child accidentally hurting himself at the park.

Nathan Shaw, 32, and John Lawrie, 34, ambushed David Fulton, 37, at his home in Tarbolton, South Ayrshire, in September 2019.

The pair fractured Mr Fulton’s skull and eye socket with a metal pole amid claims he earlier left a red mark on Shaw’s son.

Lawrie further struck Mr Fulton’s partner Charlene Stirling, 34, with the pole leaving a head wound which required stitches.

Shaw and Lawrie pled guilty to assaulting Mr Fulton to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday.

The court heard Ms Stirling’s sister is the mother to Shaw’s son.

Mr Fulton offered to take the boy to the park which took place for 20 minutes.

Prosecutor Derick Nelson said: “The boy hurt his hand whilst he was at the park and was left with a red mark.

“It is Mr Fulton’s position that he didn’t see how this happened but the boy told him it happened on the rope on a zip slide.

“When the boy returned home, he told his mother that the injury was caused by Mr Fulton.

“Mr Fulton told her it was caused accidentally.”

Later that day Ms Stirling received texts from her sister warning her to get out the house and she was phoning the police.

Shaw and Lawrie later showed up wearing dark clothing, beanie hats and gloves.

Mr Nelson said: “Shaw told Mr Fulton that he had heard he had harmed his son.

“Mr Fulton said it was an accident but he was asked to come outside and ‘sort it out’ adding ‘we won’t leather you’.

“Mr Fulton refused to leave his home and told the two men he didn’t want to fight them.”

The two men – carrying metal poles – climbed through the window of the property and pursued Mr Fulton.

Mr Nelson said: “Both men struck him four or five times each to the head and body with the metal poles.

“Ms Stirling tried to pull Lawrie away but he struck her once with the pole before striking Mr Fulton once more.”

The pair then fled the scene before officers arrived to the “blood stained” property.

Mr Fulton was taken to hospital for treatment to a skull fracture, three fractured fingers, a fractured eye socket.

He also received wounds to his cheek, forehead, back of his head as well as bruising and swelling to the body.

Mr Nelson added: “A cast was placed on his hand for several weeks and the wounds were closed with glue and stitches which will leave permanent scarring.

“A depressed skull fracture can be life threatening but the nature of this one was not in the opinion of the doctor who treated him.”

Ms Stirling was also treated with stitches for her head wound.

Louise Arrol, defending Shaw, stated that the dad-of-three “accepts the inevitability of a custodial sentence.”

Ronnie Renucci, defending, Lawrie, said the monoblock business owner pled guilty to a “serious offence.”

Lord Matthews deferred sentence for background reports until September.

The judge said: “Given the nature of this offence, a custodial sentence is inevitable. This was startling.”

The pair, of Muirkirk, East Ayrshire, were granted bail meantime.