An Aberdeen man who had a top bearing the name of an outlaw bike gang has been jailed for attacking members of a rival motorcycling club.
Ian Ewing, 44, was locked up for seven years today for attempting to murder a biker and assaulting three others on the A98 road near Cullen, Moray, on September 8 2018.
A jury at the High Court in Edinburgh saw shocking video footage earlier this year of Ewing and a group of accomplices, who have yet to be brought to justice, attacking members of the Nomads group.
Jurors saw Ewing, of Aberdeen, and his sidekicks striking Colin Sutherland, John Sutherland, Edward Forrest and Nicky Syratt with a claw hammer, a tyre iron and a baseball bat.
Moments earlier Ewing had driven his Vauxhall Insignia at Colin Sutherland and collided with the motorcyclist forcing him to fall off his bike.
Jurors also saw Ewing and his accomplices use a knife to cut off waistcoats bearing the ‘Nomads’ name.
Police arrested Ewing shortly afterwards – he was in his car with a group of other men. When they searched his car, they found a hammer containing his DNA hidden beneath a passenger seat.
The head of the hammer also matched an indentation left on Mr Forrest’s helmet.
Detectives also found a top bearing the name ‘the Blue Angels’.
The gang – which was formed in Maryhill, Glasgow, – have been linked to a number of violent attacks since its formation in the early 1960s.
Today, judge Lady Scott told the remand prisoner – who observed proceedings via video link from jail – that he was guilty of a “brutal” and “concerted attack”.
She had been told moments earlier that Ewing still maintained he was innocent and that the time he has spent on remand has been the “worst period” of his life.
Passing sentence, Lady Scott added: “One witness described this as a planned ambush.
“This was a brutal and planned attack.
“You and others brutally attacked the victims on the road way with weapons.
“There is no clear explanation in the evidence for this attack.”
The story emerged after jurors convicted Ewing, of Aberdeen, on a charge of attempting to murder Colin Sutherland and of assaulting John Sutherland to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
He was also convicted of assaulting Mr Forrest to his severe injury and to the danger of his life. Ewing was also convicted of assaulting Mr Syratt to his injury and danger of his life.
During proceedings, the court heard from 25-year-old Colin Sutherland. He told proceedings that he and a group of friends had spent the afternoon of September 8 riding around the north east of Scotland.
They had stopped in Elgin for a break at 4pm and then started riding again shortly afterwards.
He said that as they approached Cullen, he was “impacted” by a car and that he “came off”.
Nicky Syratt, 34, said he was repeatedly struck with iron bars and hammers by men who wanted to “break” his knees.
He added: “The last thing I can remember was a young guy telling me how he was going to kill me.
“I went in and out of consciousness.”
Following conviction, it emerged that Ewing worked as an operations manager and was in charge of maintenance contacts for the police and fire service.
On Wednesday, defence advocate Susan Duff told the court that whilst Ewing maintained his innocence, he appreciated jail was the only sentencing option available to Lady Scott.
She added: “Ian Ewing was a man who had a good life. He had and still has a positive loving relationship with his partner and and a close and a loving relationship with his son.
“He had a good responsible job and many friends.
“His period in custody to date has been the worst period in his life.
“He maintains his innocence and is in disbelief ast his conviction.
“This represents a very sad interlude in his life. He was someone who led a pro social life.”
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