Gang Thug Forced Boys to Carry Out Humiliating Acts

Published 16 Dec 2009 14:27

A THUG from a Tillicoultry gang has admitted forcing two teenagers to carry out humiliating and degrading acts whilst he threatened them with a bottle and filmed it.

On Thursday, Alloa Sheriff Court was told that John McEwan (19) had pled guilty to threatening the teenage boys with violence on the banks of the River Devon, near Derby Place, Tillicoultry, and demanding they behave in a degrading manner.

McEwan further admitted instructing the older boy to touch himself, and then ordered him to take his clothes off and do star jumps, press ups and swim in the River Devon whilst naked.

McEwan placed flowers behind the complainer's ears, spat on his own hand before rubbing it on the boy's body.

McEwan also admitted then stealing the older boy's mobile phone. The incident took place on 24 July, whilst McEwan was on bail.

Fiscal depute Jim Graham told the court that the older boy had been drinking with others when they bumped into a group that called themselves the "Tilly Team". McEwan was part of the group and they went back to the river.

The accused was described as being "vallied out his nut and steaming" at the time and he started to instruct the boy to do things or he would be hit with a Buckfast bottle.

Mr Graham said the accused started to become aggressive and made both boys carry out tasks against their will. Another person grabbed the complainer and made him jump in the river.

The fiscal said on coming out the river the boy was forced to strip and do press ups and star jumps.

The accused then spat on his hand, rubbed it on his tracksuit and then rubbed it in the boy's face.

Humiliated

The younger boy had been with his own group but was now alone with older boy and the Tilly Team.

As the older boy was being humiliated he turned away as he could not bare to look.

The younger boy was also forced to do tasks against his will or risk being bottled.

Both boys were threatened with violence if they did not do as they were ordered. Another youth filmed the incident on his mobile phone.

Mr Graham went on to say that a few of the group attempted to stop McEwan and let the boys go home. Some of the group members also helped the boy to climb out of the river.

The boys kept quiet about their ordeal and it only came to light five days later when one of their parents received nine video clips showing what happened on his mobile phone.

On seeing the videos the parent was very distressed and disturbed and reported what had happened at Tillicoultry Police Office.

Following the police becoming aware of what happened a warrant was issued for McEwan, who was not traced until 1 September.

Mr Graham added that both boys felt humiliated and embarrassed.

As a result the younger boy had been attending a psychiatrist and had self harmed. The older boy had also indicated he would need help to get over what had happened and was very angry and upset.

Sheriff Mackie told McEwan, whose address was given as Polmont Prison, "I have just heard about a serious, most humiliating abuse of an individual."

Sheriff Mackie then cleared the court to watch the video footage in private.

Sentencing on McEwan was deferred until 7 January 2010 for supplementary social enquiry reports.

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