Paint roller thug left man scarred for life after battering him with tool
A tradesman left a man scarred for life by attacking him with a paint roller in front of shocked schoolchildren.
Neil McCallum, 37, and two colleagues jumped out of their work Transit van to attack Stuart Burns after a stone was thrown at the vehicle.
A court heard that Mr Burns was left with blood "gushing" from his nose and from a head wound after he was whacked several times with the extendable paint roller.
Fiscal depute Sarah Wilkinson said: "There were a number of pedestrians, including schoolchildren, in Rossie Place, Auchterarder, at 3.45pm on 11 January last year.
"A Transit carrying three males turned into the street, where Mr Burns was walking his dog. He was then observed to be In the middle of the road with the three males.
"They were all shouting and gesturing at each other. The accused struck the complainer repeatedly on the head and legs with a metal pole, which transpired to be a paint roller.
"Police were contacted by observers. Officers found the complainer with blood gushing from his nose and from a large cut to his head. He had a five centimetre cut which was glued.
"He refused to go to hospital, but paramedics were of the opinion it would leave scarring. The accused was traced with the help of dashcam footage and arrested."
McCallum told police: "I hit a f***ing junkie because he threw a rock at my van. I hit a m****." He admitted leaving his painting equipment at the scene.
McCallum, from Woodside, Perthshire, admitted attacking Stuart Burns in Rossie Place, Auchterarder, on 11 January 2024 by repeatedly striking him on the head and body with an extendable paint roller. He admitted causing severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
He also admitted breaching the peace by engaging in a stand-up fight with an unknown male in Perth's Mill Street on 27 January last year.
In that incident, heavily intoxicated McCallum and another man started arguing at a bus stop, before they started fighting with both ending up on the ground in the middle of the road.
Sheriff Alison McKay granted McCallum bail and deferred sentence at Perth Sheriff Court for the preparation of social work background reports.
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