Soldier left teen in coma after knocking him unconscious at TRNSMT festival

A soldier knocked a teenager unconscious at TRNSMT music festival.

Lewis Gilchrist, 19, punched the 16-year-old to the ground in Glasgow Green on July 13 last year.

Gilchrist, who had trained with the parachute regiment, had become involved in a fight between the boy and an unknown man.

The soldier, of Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute, ran off after he was hauled by a police inspector who had overseen the assault.

A doctor claimed that the victim could have died but for the timely intervention of medics at the scene.

Gilchrist was initially charged with attempted murder but pleaded guilty to assaulting the boy to his severe injury and danger of life at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

He is currently suspended and living in barracks in Catterick, North Yorkshire.

His lawyer told the court that his career with the army could continue if he was not sent to prison.

Sheriff Joan Kerr put him on a community payback order as a “direct alternative” to custody.

The sheriff said: “I will turn away from sending you to custody as I think there are other ways the court can deal with you which will reduce your likelihood of offending in the future.

“This will give you the opportunity to understand the consequences of your offending behaviour in a way you can pay back the person you harmed as well as society.

“If your employment in the army is continued, it may be the making of you.”

Gilchrist was put under supervision for two years and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

He will also pay his victim £2,000 in compensation at a rate of £500 per month.

The court heard that the boy had been at the festival with his girlfriend, also 16, when an argument broke out between them.

An unknown man wearing green shorts and a bucket hat then became involved and lifted the teenager from the ground.

The pair then got into a fight before Gilchrist, who wore an orange T-shirt, appeared and punched the boy to the side of the head.

Gilchrist and his victim rolled about with each other on the ground before they both got up.

Prosecutor Heather Naismith said: “There was a flurry of punches, and Gilchrist then punched the boy forcibly to the head.

“This knocked him over, and he collapsed to the ground.”

The incident was overseen by a police inspector who was on duty at TRNSMT that day.

He spotted that the boy had fallen to the ground without putting his hands out to stop himself.

Gilchrist appeared to then go towards the teenager again, but was kicked away by one of the boy’s friends.

The inspector pulled Gilchrist away before he then fled the scene with the other man in green shorts.

The boy was found unconscious with blood coming from his mouth and was “completely unresponsive.”

He was taken into a medical tent for treatment, where he was stated to be in “a state of unconsciousness or a coma.”

Medics had to help the boy gain oxygen – which had dropped to 60% – as he had blood in his airway.

A breathing tube was inserted, and he was transferred to the hospital for further treatment.

Ms Naismith added: “In the doctor’s opinion, had the boy not had immediate treatment, due to his lack of breathing, then it is likely he would have died of his injuries.”

The doctor further stated that the teenager suffered a brain injury which causes breathing to stop. He also sustained a black eye.

However, there was a prognosis of full recovery for the boy.

Gilchrist was arrested by police after his DNA was found on clothing left at the scene. The unidentified man has not been traced.

When quizzed, Gilchrist gave little information and did not answer questions related to TRNSMT or his DNA being recovered.

He was initially charged for attempted murder and made no comment.

Clare Ryan, defending, told the sentencing: “It is fortuitous that the boy was able to discharge himself from hospital the next day.

“He doesn’t have any physical difficulties which are ongoing.

“My client knows that he is in a fortuitous place because of that, and he does express his remorse.

“If he does not receive a custodial sentence, he may still have a career in the army, which is in the uppermost of his mind.”