Man knocked out postie in pub attack

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/break ... 5529224.jp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A POSTMAN was felled by a punch from a woman's husband when he greeted her in a pub, a court heard today.

Barry Ronaldson, 30, was thrown out of The Oak in Corstorphine, Edinburgh, after the unprovoked attack but waited around outside, shouting abuse.

When victim Stuart Millan, 43, came out of the bar he attacked him again, knocking him out cold and hit the unconscious man again as he lay on the ground.

Mr Millan might have hit a wooden bench as he fell, the court heard.

He suffered a fractured skull and extensive damage to the bones in his face, which kept him in hospital for a week and away from work for five months.

He also needed surgery to repair a broken ankle, advocate depute Jonathan Brodie, prosecuting, told the High Court in Edinburgh.

Mr Millan still suffers numbness in his face as a result of nerve damage, he added.

Father-of-two Ronaldson of Carrick Knowe Place, Edinburgh, was accused of attempted murder after the attack in the St John's Road pub on 4 July last year.

In court today his guilty plea to a reduced charge of serious assault was accepted and an allegation that he had repeatedly stamped on his victim's head was dropped.

Mr Brodie said at the time Ronaldson was bare-foot because the flip-flops he had been wearing had come off during the earlier scuffle.

Judge Lord Menzies called for background reports and allowed Ronaldson, who runs a building trade business, to remain on bail, pending sentence next month.

Ronaldson is still banned from The Oak – by order of the court.

Lord Menzies heard today that Mr Millan, a single dad looking after three children, knew Ronaldson and was friendly with members of his family, but there was no history of animosity.

Mr Brodie told how Mr Millan was getting ready to leave the pub when he spotted the Ronaldsons and went over to say hello.

"Suddenly and under no provocation the accused struck Mr Millan with a blow to the side of his head causing him to fall to the floor," said Mr Brodie.

[shadow]

Whats the guys business called so all us posties can avoid.I wouldn't want a thug like that doing any jobs at my house.

[opgpat]

Oh it's Scotland - this is run of the mill stuff up there, hard-man drinking culture goes hand in hand with unprovoked attacks. Banned from the pub, almost punishment enough.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Oh it's Scotland - this is run of the mill stuff up there, hard-man drinking culture goes hand in hand with unprovoked attacks. Banned from the pub, almost punishment enough.

Really? In 7 years drinking in my local in Aberdeen I've yet to see anyone get attacked for no reason and there's plenty of 'hard men' drink in it. This could have happened anywhere in the UK, Scotlands no worse than anywhere else.

Yep and all English people are work shy chavs, the Irish are all ditch diggers, the welsh are all sheep farmers - NOT - Stero-typing people or groups is a pointless and divisive task, I don't understand the mind set that say because you belong to 1 group you must be . We are all individuals with good and bad traits accept people on face value and not preconceived ideas and you wont go far wrong.

[shadow]

Well said