Teenage Good Samaritan beaten so badly his parents could not recognise him

Thug Brian Ramsay is jailed for just 18-months, despite beating 18-year-old Angus Gallagher so badly his skull was fractured in 13 places. 

Good Samaritan Angus Gallagher, 18, had his face battered and suffered multiple fractures in the ordeal  Photo: SWNS

A teenage Good Samaritan, who tried to help a man he found lying on a garage forecourt, was left with appalling facial injuries after his kindness was repaid with a savage beating.

Angus Gallagher, 18, suffered 13 fractures to his skull, three broken fingers and cracked ribs in the attack which left his head so swollen that his parents were unable to recognise him in hospital.

But despite the shocking extent of his injuries, his

attacker, Brian Ramsay, 25, was jailed for just 18 months, in a sentence that has been branded “disgusting” by Mr Gallagher’s family.

  

The public spirited mechanic had gone to Ramsay’s aid after spotting him lying prone in front of a garage in Gorebridge, Midlothian, as he was on his way home following a night out last October. 

He bought him some food and attempted to help him across the road, but then Ramsay suddenly turned on him.

Mr Gallagher was repeatedly beaten around the face and head, before being dragged to a nearby house where he was attacked again.

Describing the assault, Mr Gallagher said: “He just turned on me. My mind went a bit blank and all I thought was 'I should protect myself as much as I can'.

“He must have realised what he had done because he dragged me to his house to get me cleaned up.

“Then he hit me again in the garden and I have no recollection after that.

“I was really confused when I woke up. I couldn't open my eyes as they were swollen shut."

He added: “It has changed everything. You get all paranoid.

“I try to avoid going out on my own at night now. It would definitely make me think twice about helping somebody now.”

His parents Henry, 56, and Amanda, 53, were taken to hospital in the middle of the night but could barely recognise their son, such were the extent of his injuries.

Mrs Gallagher said: "When we were taken to the resuscitation unit where Angus was, my husband couldn't walk through the door.

"He just gripped my arm and said 'My God, what have they done to my boy'. I couldn't recognise him.

"His head was about five times the size it should have been. He was covered in blood.

"The police photographer who came along said she had never seen such damage before in her life."

But they branded Ramsay's 18-month sentence a joke.

Mrs Gallagher said: "My husband and I are totally shocked – it's not justice. I don't know the definition of a long time but 18 months doesn't seem to be very long.

"He was only helping someone and this was his reward."

Mr Gallagher was kept in hospital for six days and was unable to return to his job restoring classic cars for almost three months.

Ramsay was jailed Edinburgh Sherriff Court after admitting assault.