Four Johnstone thugs have been jailed after they abducted and assaulted two young men.
Liam Muggins, Reece Little, Nathan McLeod and Liam McNamee abducted and assaulted Jack Tustian and John Boyd in January 2020, and subjected them both to horrific and violent assaults at a flat in Johnstone’s High Street.
Yesterday at Paisley Sheriff Court, Sheriff Tom McCartney ordered that each of the four thugs were jailed branding their behaviour as “thuggish” and “gang like.”
Following a trial at the town’s court, the four hooligans were found guilty by a jury of the abduction and assaults.
The jury found the gang to have abducted Jack Tustian on January 26, 2020, where they forced him into an unlit cupboard in a flat in Johnstone’s High Street, closed the door and detained him there against his will.
The twisted foursome assaulted Tustian by seizing hold of him, repeatedly punch and kick him on the head and body and demanded that he give them his mobile phone and then threatened to stab him while in possession of a screwdriver, all causing him injury.
John Boyd was also abducted and assaulted on the same date by the gang who detained him against his will in an unlit cupboard.
The group seized hold of him, demand that he kneeled down, repeatedly punched and kicked him on the head and body, repeatedly struck him on the head and body with a screwdriver and demand that he gave them his mobile phone.
After the trial concluded, Muggins, 22, admitted his part in the traumatic incident.
Muggins defence agent, Terry Gallanagh explained his client was “an extremely young immature man” at the time of the offence and has since moved on in his life as he is soon to be a father of two
Mr Gallanagh added: “He accepts responsibility and he makes it clear that he apologises for what was clearly abhorrent behaviour.
“He apologises to the victims of his crimes and recognises his conduct must have been extremely frightening for each of the young men and that his conduct was completely unacceptable.
“He has responsibilities where he has a young child and his partner is pregnant with their second child.
“He was 19 at the time of this offence, he was intoxicated to a significant level and these were unplanned, spontaneous attacks on these men.”
Muggins, of Heron Place in Johnstone was caged for 27 months with his sentence being backdated to October 27, when he was remanded.
Defence agent for Little, 21, Mr Jones explained his client left school with no qualifications and that he is expecting to not be able to return to the family home in Spateston Road upon his release.
Mr Jones added: “He accepts his wrongdoing and this is clearly a man who needs intervention and assistance.
Sheriff McCartney jailed Little, for 16 months.
McLeod’s defence solicitor, Ms Ryan explained McLeod, 22, was not “directly involved in any physical assault but accepts he was filming the matter and therefore not preventing the incident and increasing the humility of the victims.
“He accepts he was involved in the common purpose of the group and accepts the appalling consequences that would have had.”
McLeod of Miliken Road was jailed for 16months.
Defence agent, Gemma Elder represented McNamee who told the court he was only 17 at the time of the offence.
Ms Elder added: “This is the only offence he has ever faced court proceedings for.
“He has no previous convictions and nothing outstanding.
“The severity of the matter has not been lost on him and he accepts the consequences will be profound on the victims.
“He was under the influence and had wrongly read the circumstances of the room.
“He found himself in a situation where clearly his behaviour was abhorrent, but this appears to be a one off and he wishes to express his apologies to the victims.”
Sheriff McCarteny ordered McNamee of Quarry Street to 16 months detention.
On Sentencing, Sheriff Tom McCartney said: “On considering sentence, I have regard that each of you is a young person.
“I’ve considered immaturity and rehabilitation and also the pleas and mitigation that I have heard on each of your behalves.
“However, in respect of each of you, I have concluded there is no alternative to a custodial sentence because of the gravity of the crimes.
“These crimes involved thuggish violence which caused injury and terror and each of you in the group has culpability which was cowardly and in gang like nature.
“The consumption of alcohol or drugs is no excuse and a custodial sentence will be imposed on each of you.”
Don't miss the latest headlines from around Renfrewshire. Sign up to our newsletters here
