A YOUNG footballer avoided prison yesterday for his part in a gang attack which left a youth with epilepsy.
Stirling Albion striker Alexander Williams,16, admitted repeatedly hitting his victim on the legs and body with a golf club.
John McDermott, 16, lay helpless with a fractured skull after being battered by Christopher Munro,16.
Williams, of Drumoyne Road, Glasgow, and Munro, of Craigie-lee Road, Renfrew, admitted seriously assaulting their victim after an attempted murder charge was dropped.
The judge, Lord Cameron, told Williams at the High Court in Glasgow, he would give him an opportunity to make something of his life, and placed him on probation for three years and ordered him to carry out 240 hours' unpaid community service.
Munro, who admitted a more serious charge of fracturing his victim's skull to his permanent impairment with epilepsy, was ordered to be detained for four years in a Young Offenders' Institution.
Lord Cameron told him: ''I cannot overlook the devastating injury you inflicted on your defenceless victim with a golf club.''
Earlier the court heard how rival youths from different areas of Govan had been involved in gang fights. The gangs hid weapons like golf clubs, baton and pieces of wood in hedges in Elder Park where the clash took place. On the day of the incident, on February 3 in Elderpark Street, Govan, the Linthouse gang arranged a fight with the Crossloan gang.
John McDermott, a member of the Crossloan gang, was not involved and had been playing football instead when he was chased by Williams and Munro.
James Drummond Young, QC, prosecuting, said: ''Munro hit Mr McDermott with a golf club on the back of his head from behind, causing him to stumble and fall with a fractured skull. He then struck him another blow on the head. Williams then hit McDermott several times on the body and legs with his golf club.''
Mr McDermott went into a fit on his way to hospital and became epileptic afterwards and will be on medication for the rest of his life.
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