by Danielle Lappin

A CLYDEBANK teenager is behind bars after carrying out a vicious attack outside a railway station following a street fight pre-arranged on Facebook.

The 16-year-old pleaded guilty to assaulting his victim at Helensburgh Central on July 25 last year by striking him on the head with a broken bottle to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

The case called at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on April 11, where fiscal depute Sarah Healing said the victim was added to a Facebook group chat on July 23, in which a meeting was arranged for a fight to take place in Helensburgh two days later.

Ms Healing said the victim turned up at Helensburgh Central on the evening of July 25 and waited for the Clydebank group – but when they didn’t show up at the pre-arranged time, he stayed in Helensburgh, while his friends boarded a train to nearby Cardross.

The court heard the accused, who can’t be named for legal reasons, boarded a train to Helensburgh for the pre-arranged fight, and during the journey found a glass bottle and put it in a bag he was carrying.

The victim and his friend were sitting in a bus shelter near the rail station when they noticed a vehicle pull up.

The accused got out of the car with three other men and all approached the victim before initiating “a square go”.

Ms Healing told the court: “The fight came to an end and the complainer gloated he was the winner. The accused was observed to be in possession of a bottle he was waving about. The complainer moved into the station, and the accused followed and broke the bottle on a wall. He struck the complainer once in the face.”

The victim was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital for treatment on a 5cm facial wound – which left a permanent scar.

The accused was later tracked down and taken to Clydebank police office where he was interviewed but made no comment, and was cautioned and charged before being released.

Sheriff William Gallacher said: “This was an act of barbarity. He armed himself with a bottle, broke it, and attacked someone.”

The teenager’s solicitor told the court the fight was pre-arranged, but his client was not part of it.

He said in the aftermath, the victim had made comments before turning his attention to the accused. A comment was made about the accused’s mum and he reacted.

The case was adjourned until May 5 to obtain a social work report. The accused was remanded in custody.