A delivery driver who claims he was viciously kicked in the head after being ‘attacked by a road rage driver ’ has slammed police after they gave him with a recorded caution instead. James McGoldrick called officers for help after being followed by a man who had earlier cut him off on the road while he was on his way to drop off food in East Kilbride last November.
The 59-year-old claims he was knocked to the ground and repeatedly punched and kicked by the man as he tried to defend himself. But James, who is also a carer for his partner, claims that Police Scotland officers did not arrive at his home to take a statement until two days after the incident - and that they failed to record any information about his injuries.
After around two weeks without contact from cops, the dad-of-two says officers then turned up at his partner’s home and slapped him with a formal police caution while allegedly stating that he had just ‘been in a fight and lost’. James, who believes he is a victim of injustice, told the Record: “I ended up with a concussion but they’re trying to say it was a wee stramash.
"My arms were bruised for about nine weeks after it. I told the police what had happened thinking that they’d be able to do something as I’d managed to get the vehicle registration. "It has all turned out to be an absolute nightmare because about 16 days later, the police came back out and threw what turned out to be a caution letter onto the table.
“They said the only reason I called 101 was because I had gotten beaten up in a fight. I’ve got osteoarthritis in my hips, shoulders and knees. The last thing I want to do is get into a fight with someone who is far younger than me that looked about 18 stone.
“I just want an easy life, I don’t want to be fighting anybody. I never did it when I was younger so why would I start now with someone I don’t even know while I’m working?
“I’ve done almost 50,000 deliveries and I’ve never fought anybody. You come across idiots on the road all the time and sometimes you have to beep your horn. But I’ve never been followed or attacked before. It’s an injustice."
Despite being warned he faced prosecution, James appealed the caution without success. He added: “I appealed the caution but I never got anywhere. I complained about the police officers, one in particular, because they were completely unsympathetic and didn’t take any details about my injuries or ask how I was.
"I’ve spoken to the people who I was delivering the food to several times since then because they’re regulars, but they said the police have never been to their door. The fact is that I was followed and attacked by someone who was unknown to me. The whole thing has been whitewashed. I’ve not been able to sleep, I talk about it all the time months later. I honestly believe I could’ve been killed.
“It’s affected my relationship with people and I just think I’ve been treated absolutely disgracefully by the police. Why would I appeal the caution and face being charged if I was guilty? Because I appealed it, it went to the Procurator Fiscal who didn’t charge me. It just doesn’t make any sense.”
“You would think calling 101 would be a good thing to do especially when you’ve been attacked but for me, it didn’t turn out very well. Now I’d never phone 101 again because of what’s happened.”
Police Scotland confirmed that both men were given Recorded Police Warnings following the incident in McCallum Court, East Kilbride. A spokesperson added: “We received a complaint in January 2022 in relation to the handling of a report made in November, 2021. The complaints were resolved and information passed to the complainer.”
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