An anti-fox hunting group have welcomed the sentencing of a Houston man who pulled a disabled man from his car before attacking him.
Bully John Wright was caught on camera violently pulling disabled Grant Sloan out of his vehicle and repeatedly kicking him.
Wright, 33, lashed out when Mr Sloan was watching the Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire hunt in Bridge of Weir in October 2020.
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Mr Sloan was able to record the brutal attack on his phone and the footage shows Wright, of Viking Crescent, kicking him on the chest.
Yesterday at Paisley Sheriff Court, Sheriff Eoin McGinty placed Wright under supervision for 12 months and ordered he carries out 180 hours of unpaid work stating: “This was a particularly frightening incident for Mr Sloan as he was surrounded by a mob and manhandled from his car and thereafter you kicked him on the chest.”
Wright was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation to his victim
The sentence was strongly welcomed by the Glasgow Hunt Sabs group – a group dedicated to protecting wild animals from hunters that Mr Sloan is a part of.
A spokesperson for the group told the Express: “We are pleased with this outcome.
“John Wright is guilty of attacking not only a lone, but also disabled member of our group, who was dragged from his car as he monitored illegal hunting at the Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire Foxhounds.
“The brave actions of our sab, who managed to film part of the incident, certainly helped with the verdict.
“On the day in question, members of our group were subjected to violent threats constantly from hunt staff looking for fights. Before the attack took place, another of our vehicles had it’s tyres slashed.”
Prosecutor Amber Feeney previously told Paisley Sheriff Court: “Around 3.30pm, Mr Sloan was in Bridge of Weir due to a fox hunt taking place and was parked at the side of the road in his vehicle alone.
“A short time later, three males approached, with one of them being the accused.
“One of the unknown males shouted at Mr Sloan to leave and he attempted to explain he was there not to cause any issue.
“At this point, the accused and another male opened the car door and pulled him out of the vehicle.
“Mr Sloan started to record this and the accused started to repeatedly kick Mr Sloan.
“Mr Sloan captured the accused kick him on the chest and the accused left with the two males. Police were contacted.
“Officers attended and system checks in relation to fox hunt nominals were carried out which identified the accused as the man in Mr Sloan’s video.”
Ms Feeney told the court that Mr Sloan was against fox hunting and was parked at the side of the road to observe if anything “untoward” took place, and it appeared that Wright was a “fan” of fox-hunting.
Defence agent Craig Broadley told the court Wright, who works for a local landscaping company “accepts” his behaviour.
My Broadley added: “He doesn’t think he kicked the man particularly hard but he understands that doesn’t make a difference.
“He had been drinking with a friend fishing in the local area and when he was walking home he met the group.
“He does accept his actions and acting aggressively and that his behaviour was unacceptable.”
Glasgow Hunt Sabs continuously call for stronger fox-hunting laws to be introduced by the Scottish Government, the spokesperson added: “Those associated with the Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire Foxhounds continuously demonstrate why stronger, more meaningful fox hunting laws are needed.
But until the Scottish Government brings its laws into line, we at Glasgow Hunt Sabs will not be deterred by cowardly acts of violence, and will continue to protect wildlife from the immeasurable cruelty in our countryside.”
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