Violence on High Street

Mairi Gordon • Published 21 Jun 2012 09:26 9 Comments

Share this

A BRUTAL group attack which left a man seriously injured on Musselburgh High Street forced police to close the road during the early hours of Sunday morning.

Dozens of people witnessed the brawl which saw Jamie McGill, 29, allegedly attacked outside the Dragon Way takeaway by a group of at least five men, who punched him, causing him to hit the ground and lose consciousness.

His father, John McGill, told the Courier that Jamie and his 18-year-old sister Bernadette were walking to a nearby chip shop at about midnight on Saturday, when Bernadette stopped to talk to a friend outside the Burgh Pub, next door to the takeaway. It was then that the attackers, unknown to Jamie, came out of the pub and began assaulting him.

Jamie, who was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary following the attack, suffered a broken nose and swollen lip and needed eight staples to the back of his head. He was released at about 4am on Sunday and is now recovering at his home in Musselburgh.

Mr McGill, 48, said: "He didn't know the guys and he wasn't talking to them. I think it was just one punch, then another, I think he lost consciousness when he fell and hit his head on the kerb."

"I heard when people found out what was happening they ran out of the pub to protect him and it escalated into a big battle.

"The guys who attacked Jamie jumped into a taxi, at the front of the [High Street] rank. Police stopped them and took their names but they didn't arrest them.

"His sister recognised the attackers because she's stayed in Prestonpans. One of the guys has been bragging about it on Facebook, calling themselves 'Team Pans'. It's been going on for years, guys come to Musselburgh from Prestonpans, fuelled with drink and drugs, and cause trouble."

Traffic was diverted from High Street for more than an hour while police officers dealt with the incident

Andrew McVey, manager of the nearby Sportsman Bar, said: "When people in the pub heard what was happening it emptied. They went out onto the street to help him. There were about 15 to 20 people in the pub at the time.

"I didn't see the fight myself but customers told me it was a group of five or six guys who attacked Jamie.

"The street was closed for about an hour and half. By that time the pubs had closed and people had were standing outside. There were about 60 people stuck on the street waiting to be allowed out through the barricades."

Musselburgh West councillor John McNeil said that when it became clear which pub the attackers were drinking in, the premises should have its licences reviewed.

He said: "I've heard, though it's not been confirmed, around 60 people were involved and around 10 police cars were on the street. It would have been scary for local people to see something like this happening right in the heart of the town.

"It's not been confirmed whether it was customers from one pub or another or a mix who were involved but I will be calling for a review of any premises involved. I hope Lothian and Borders Police will bring papers on this incident to the next meeting of the licensing board."

A police spokesman confirmed they were investigating the assault.

Anyone with information can contact police on 0131 311 3131, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

East of East Lothian
Unregistered User
Jun 22, 10:59
Report comment

This is one of those occasions where to call the perpetrators animals would be unfair to animals.

My thoughts are with the victim and his family.

Recommend? Yes 9 No 0
Remora93
Unregistered User
Jun 25, 15:35
Report comment

The people who live in Musselburgh but do not go down the town on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night would not recognise what's going on - where are the police?

"10 Police cars were present", after the event - how many were present before??

We need more of a police presence on these evenings to stop the trouble before it starts also more control of the pubs, and stiffer sentences for the offenders. This is not new, 40 years ago there were fights in the street but they tended not to be as serious, and there were local police around.

I hope the young man has not suffered lasting problems.

Recommend? Yes 4 No 0
Ray gavin
Unregistered User
Jun 25, 16:18
Report comment

Many people depend on local business to allow better things for there community

For people to come and cause problems make businesses not want to invest money

For young guys to go around saying pans team just shows imiturity if that don't like Musselburgh then don't come here

Recommend? Yes 1 No 0
notinmusselburgh
Unregistered User
Jun 27, 22:54
Report comment

This sort of thing is the reason I moved out of Musselburgh. Got mugged twice in 2 years just walking back from the bus stop. My neighbours just said "It's your own fault, you shouldn't be out on a Saturday night" I was shocked! Sold my house at a massive loss but had to get out, feel bad for the rest of Musselburgh. Used to spend a fair bit of money in the Caprice, Shish Mahal and both butchers as well as many other shops. It's not right the shops have to suffer for these idiots!

Recommend? Yes 5 No 0
Assault victim
Unregistered User
Jun 29, 06:25
Report comment

I too being a female and young other at the time of the assault was attacked along with 3 other innocent people in an unprovoked attack by what I can only describe as 5 animals from Musselburgh one of which was a female. we were out for a quiz night on a quite week night . When we were attacked one of the animals jumped on my husbands head and I heard them shouting for a blade to finish him in this proven in court totally unprovoked attack.

why did the police not arrest theses guys they must have had blood on them. My heart goes out to Jamie and his family the mental scars of this will take years to recover from. and to animals who did this karma has a way of getting you back for this. I too don't go out in Musselburgh I only go out in large groups of friends now to family parties etc.

Recommend? Yes 2 No 0
Hadenuff
Unregistered User
Jul 9, 01:40
Report comment

I'm not from Musselburgh originally, but lived there for over 25 years, till I moved out a year ago. Like Remora93 said, there were fights back then too, but over the time I lived in the town it's got worse and worse, and not just at night. Try doing a little shopping on the high street on Saturday afternoons now. The number of thugs and ill mannered people has grown enormously. I avoid it like the plague now. It's such a shame cause although it might sound cliched, most people from the town are good, decent and honest. Unfortunately the scumbag minority are taking over. It doesn't help when you get councilors like John McNeill grandstanding. They weren't regulars and committed the assault once they left the pub. Let the police do their job before calling for a lynching.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
nowtchanges
Unregistered User
Jul 10, 14:08
Report comment

This is nothing new this happens more often than reported in the news. However, if/when it goes to court community service will be given. Something similar happened to a family member 1 out of 5 thugs were charged with the incident when it was taken to court background reports were taken and commnity service was given. This stops nothing only to make sure they are not caught the next time!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
SickOfTheTown
Unregistered User
Jul 19, 10:51
Report comment

"Musselburgh West councillor John McNeil said that when it became clear which pub the attackers were drinking in, the premises should have its licences reviewed."

its quite bloody well obvious what pub they were drinking in, the same pub that has had the most bother over the past few years and is now closed due to the manager John running it into the ground. The Burgh Bar. There was a catalouge of incidents in that boozer last year no less another man hitting his head on the kerb after a fight and a young girl glassed on a birthday night out. It's not just the culpirts that should be hauled before the judge the manager and staff that allow these people into the pubs and serve them regardless of how inebriated they are should be help accoutable also!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
exiled
Unregistered User
Aug 2, 14:14
Report comment

Welcome to the 'burgh! Lived opposite the Brunton Hall for a while, worst year of my life, now live up by Pinkie, what a difference, I can't see it getting any better with the new Wetherspoons opening, cheap drink + radges is a bad combination for any town.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 1

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Follow @elcourier