THREE men accused of a series of drive-by style assaults in the north-east walked free from court yesterday.
Scott Hughes, 22, and 18-year-olds Alexander Burke and Mathew McPhee went on trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court over four alleged incidents in and around the city on April 7 this year.
One of the charges alleged that a member of the group hung out of the front passenger window of a vehicle they were in and assaulted a passer-by. Another claimed the men drove towards a man on a bicycle, forcing him against a wall and injuring him.
During the trial, one witness said he was driving on Skene Road, near Aberdeen Crematorium, when he saw a cyclist knocked off his bike after allegedly being assaulted by someone in a passing van.
Giving evidence, Craig Chisolm, 36, said: “It was a blue Transit-style van which slowed right down. I saw the upper half of someone hang out of the passenger side window and swing at the cyclist. It looked like he had been punched.”
Mr Chisolm said he initially passed the spot where the alleged incident happened before returning to make sure the cyclist was not seriously injured.
The court also heard about alleged incidents which were said to have happened on an unclassified road at Newhills, Bucksburn, another on the B979 Tyrebagger to Kirkton of Skene road in Aberdeenshire and one on Mansfield Road, Torry, Aberdeen.
Hughes, whose address was given as 30 Tay Court, Glenrothes; Burke, of 96 Ash Avenue, East Kilbride; and McPhee, of 105 Main Street, Plains, Airdrie, were found not guilty by Sheriff Colin Harris. It followed legal debate between prosecutor Cecilia Dyckhoff and the men’s lawyers. Following an adjournment, Ms Dyckhoff said the Crown would not be proceeding with the case.
