Tamfourhill woman, 18, beat man up before stealing his cigarettes and jacket

Victoria Taylor (18) punched and kicked the man after he refused to hand over money.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Taylor, 17 Kilbrennan Drive, Tamfourhill, had admitted assaulting her victim in Main Street, Camelon on December 22 last year, along with her co-accused former partner Michael Hutchison (25), whose address was given as HMP Low Moss.

She committed the offence while on bail, granted on December 14, 2018.

The pair laid into the man after threatening violence and pulling at his bag. Having landed punches to his head and body, Taylor and Hutchison dragged the man onto the car bonnet and continued their attack, eventually pulling him to the ground where they repeatedly punched and kicked his head and body, all to his severe injury. The assault ended with the duo robbing their victim of the cigarettes and jacket.

Her defence solicitor told Sheriff Craig Caldwell that Taylor was “extremely remorseful”.

Sheriff Caldwell was told the teen has a drug misuse issue and has spent a total of 44 days in prison over the incident, which have had “a very positive impact” on her.

The court heard the relationship between Taylor and Hutchison ended in December when the latter was remanded over the incident and sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment due to his record.

Taylor is currently serving a community payback order for 12 months’ supervision, imposed in February.

Addressing Taylor, Sheriff Caldwell said: “You engaged in a violent, sustained, utterly unprovoked attack on a member of the public who had caused no offence whatsoever other than they appear not to have given you money.”

She was placed on a two-year community payback order and must complete 200 hours of unpaid work in six months and engage with drug treatment services.

Taylor was warned she will be jailed if she doesn’t engage fully with the order.