Aberdeen mum’s tears over attack victim son
Teen was ‘left for dead’
Published:
AN ABERDEEN mum broke down as she told how her son was beaten in the street.
Carole Mitchell wept as she revealed the family were facing Christmas without 16-year-old Ryan – because he was still in hospital, nearly a year after the vicious attack.
Carole, 44, a staff nurse at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, recalled the night the attack took place.
She said: “I was working the night Ryan was brought into the hospital.
“I walked past his room twice because I didn't recognise him.”
At Aberdeen Sheriff Court William McGregor, 20, and Andrew Mearns, 26, admitted carrying out the attack.
Carole said her son was “left for dead” with a footprint on his face, four gashes on his head and two broken teeth. And she said Ryan was being treated in a specialist young people’s unit at Dundee, where doctors are assessing the long-term damage to his brain.
His mum said: “He got out for two or three weeks but had to go back in and hasn’t been out since.
“He was a really outgoing, friendly and chatty young lad but now he is scared to go out and gets anxious, particularly when it gets dark.
“It’s just horrific. They could have killed him and just left him for dead.”
Sentence was deferred on McGregor, whose address was given as 5D Seaton Gardens, Aberdeen, and Mearns, whose address was given as The Ferndale Bed and Breakfast, 62 Bon Accord Street, Aberdeen.
Both men were released on bail and are to appear in court again next month.
