A vicious thug who burst into the home of a vulnerable 75-year-old Dons fan before beating and stabbing him has been jailed for nearly five years.
Fuelled by a cocktail of drink and drugs, Miguel Meyler inflicted “traumatic” injuries on former British soldier James Clunes while attempting to ransack his flat for cash.
The 29-year-old – who had only been released from prison three days before – then frog-marched the frail army veteran to a cash machine to try to rob him of more money.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard Meyler had chased crack cocaine and tranquilliser pills with a litre of vodka before carrying out the “horrific crime” on June 25 last year.
James – a devoted Aberdeen FC fan – was left bruised, bleeding from a knife wound to his leg and with a fractured cheekbone after Meyler and another man forced their way into his Aberdeen flat.
He had just returned to his home after a night at the bingo when the attack happened.
‘This took away his independence’
Following the sentence, his brother Stephen Clunes told the Press and Journal that he was glad “older people can feel a little safer” now that the predatory offender is behind bars.
Stephen said James – a three-time cancer survivor – had managed to “bounce back” from previous setbacks but his self-confidence had been crippled by Meyler’s brutal assault and robbery.
The former Scots Guards colour sergeant passed away on November 25 last year without seeing his attacker brought to justice.
“He didn’t kill my brother but he took away his confidence – it was gone,” Stephen said.
“Afterwards he just wasn’t the same. This took away his independence.”
Fiscal depute Carol Gammie recounted the events of that evening at a previous hearing, stating that James had “certain vulnerabilities” from having previously suffered from throat cancer.
“He was generally a frail man. He was left shaken and severely physically injured by this incident,” Ms Gammie said.
She told the court that after socialising at the local pub at around 11.20pm on June 25 last year, Mr Clunes was returning to his home on Bayview Court, Aberdeen.
“Owing to his health problems, Mr Clunes does not drink and was sober,” she said.
“As he approached the communal hallway, the accused and another male followed him into the building and up in the lift, getting out with him on the second floor.”
As James approached his front door, one of the men asked him for a cup of water, which he refused.
When the pensioner opened his front door, Meyler and the other man pushed their way into his flat and immediately began demanding money, while picking up a knife from James’ kitchen.
Pointing the knife at James, Meyler punched him to the face “at least six times”.
The army veteran was dropped to the ground by the blows but managed to get up and was punched again.
Thug forced frail pensioner to cash machine
As Meyler began raiding the flat for money, the pensioner removed £40 from his pocket and told Meyler that was all he had.
“He handed the cash to the accused before sitting down on the sofa,” Ms Gammie said.
“The accused stood over Mr Clunes at the sofa and held the knife to the front of his chest area, still demanding money from him.
“The other male then took a quantity of cigarettes from the flat and left.
“At this, the accused stabbed Mr Clunes once in the left thigh, just above the knee, which immediately started to bleed.
“The accused started shouting at Mr Clunes, again demanding money.”
Meyler then picked up the pensioner’s wallet from the ground, took out his bank cards and demanded they go to a nearby cash machine to withdraw money.
As the two men left the flat, Meyler warned James “not to try anything” as he walked him to St Machar roundabout on King Street.
However, when they got to the cash machine it wasn’t working, which angered Meyler.
Members of the public come to rescue
As the pair walked to another cash machine, a member of the public spotted Meyler pushing James along the street and approached to ask if the pensioner was okay.
Meyler replied saying that he was fine, however, the man through James “looked terrified and appeared to be hyperventilating” so he enquired again.
As Meyler shouted that he was fine, the man then put himself in between the pensioner and Meyler and two passing women also ran over to help.
At this point, James immediately began to shout for help as members of the public flagged down a police car.
“As two police constables alighted from their vehicle they could hear Mr Clunes shouting for help – he was out of breath and emotional,” Ms Gammie said.
“The officers could see he had blood stains on his trousers and had visible bruising around his eyes and nose.”
James pointed out Meyler to the police and they arrested him upon finding the pensioner’s wallet in his trouser pocket.
Police later viewed CCTV from James’ building that showed them entering the tower block and later leaving as they went to the ATM.
The knife was recovered and was found to have Meyler’s DNA on the handle and James’ blood on the blade.
The pensioner was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary with suspected a broken nose alongside a 2cm wound to his left leg.
Meyler, who has a number of previous convictions in Ireland, pleaded guilty to one charge of forcing entry to James’ flat before abducting him, assaulting him, striking him with a knife and robbing him of money.
Sheriff described crime as ‘appalling’
His defence solicitor, Shane Campbell, said that upon being released from prison three days before the attack Meyler had been “left to his own devices” by local authorities and had “spiralled” into drug abuse.
“Given the situation he found himself in, knowing no one in Aberdeen and with his mental health not being great he took refuge in drugs,” he said.
“He is deeply ashamed of the way he behaved on that particular evening.
“Mr Meyler is not seeking to make any excuse and nor could there be any excuse for this – he just wished to emphasise his state at that time.
“He knows there is only one disposal today.”
Mr Campbell added: “Due to the considerable press interest in this case, Mr Meyler’s period in prison has not passed without incident.”
Sentencing Meyler, Sheriff Graham Buchanan described his crime as “a very serious matter indeed”.
“Your behaviour towards this vulnerable 75-year-old man was appalling,” he said.
“The experience for the gentleman in question must have been traumatising and involved a significant danger of harm to the victim.
“It’s clear that you pose a serious risk of causing serious harm to the public.”
Sheriff Buchanan sentenced Meyer, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, to four years and ten months in prison with a further two and half years on licence.
Asked about the length of the sentence, Stephen Clunes said: “The court has seen fit to punish him accordingly. Do I agree with the length of the sentence? No. But this has at least given us a bit of closure.”
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