A trio of thugs have been jailed for a horrific attack on two brothers who were on a trip to the Edinburgh Festival. Thomas Scoular, 33, and Euan Waddell, 41, battered the visitors from England, leaving one of the men knocked out on the ground.
The unconscious victim was kicked on the head and body outside the Salvation Army accommodation where Scoular and Waddell were living. Scoular was caged for 15 months and Waddell for 22 months when they appeared from custody at the city's sheriff court on Thursday.
Both admitted the assault on Jason McInulty to the danger of his life, while Waddell also pled guilty to an attack on David McInulty. Earlier this month, Gavin Inkster, 32, was jailed for 16 months for his role in the melee in the city’s Pleasance last August 4.
Inkster, once dubbed ‘Scotland’s Worst Teenager’, became notorious in 2009 when he got an Asbo banning him from the whole of Midlothian after terrorising neighbours. Fiscal depute Ross Price said the McInulty brothers had travelled from England to attend the Festival.
Mr Price said a “confrontation” broke out with Scoular outside the Salvation Army building, which is close to many Festival venues, at 11.30pm. The court was told a punch was thrown at Scoular before he aimed a punch at Jason McInulty.
He struck his head on a metal doorframe, the court heard, and was rendered unconscious. Scoular and Waddell, who were both on remand at Edinburgh’s Saughton Prison, admitted a charge of repeatedly striking and kicking the victim’s head and body after he was out cold.
Waddell then attacked David McInulty, repeatedly kicking him on the body and striking him on the head. CCTV footage from that night lasting a number of minutes was shown to Sheriff Douglas Keir.
Mr Price said Inkster was jailed on January 5 for kicking Jason on the head and body, endangering his life. Defence agent Cameron Tait, representing Scoular, said his client, a father who had previously beaten a drug addiction, had been punched and chased first during the incident.
Sheriff Keir said he accepted there had been “provocation” which would be reflected in Scoular’s sentence. Defence agent Julie McPartlin, representing Waddell, said his client had experienced difficulties due to alcohol addiction.
Ms McPartlin said Waddell had only been released from a previous prison term last June 15. Sheriff Keir told Scoular it was a “very nasty assault” and gave him 15 months. The sheriff told Waddell it was “quite appalling behaviour” and imposed a 22 month sentence.
Last January Inkster was jailed for 12 months after being caught in possession of a kitchen knife in Edinburgh. In 2013 he sexually assaulted a girl in Musselburgh, East Lothian.
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