Five family members returning from a stag party in Inverness caused chaos on a train after indiscriminately attacking passengers for no reason.
The Moray thugs challenged travellers to fight before “pummelling punches” upon complete strangers.
After carrying out the brutal assaults on the Scotrail Inverness-Huntly train between Nairn and Forres, the men made their escape by climbing head-first through a carriage window.
Alexander Tait Snr, 59, appeared in the dock at Elgin Sheriff Court alongside his three sons Alexander Jnr, 33, Michael, 27, and Mark, 22, as well as his son-in-law Kevin Low, 32.
Fiscal depute Victoria Silver said that events were “muddled” given the number of attackers and victims involved in the incident, which took place on August 17 2019.
‘We are going to f*** you up’
The men first came to the attention of one group of passengers, who boarded at Nairn having visited the Highland Games earlier that day.
Ms Silver said: “They immediately shouted aggressively towards them and they were warned by a female guard that they would be ejected from the train if they persisted.
“Events thereafter are muddled but a brawl ensued with the accused attacking various people.”
They were heard shouting “We are going to f*** you up”, “c’mon” and “English c****” at the group as they “enticed” them for a fight.
It’s believed the first punches were thrown by Mark Tait before his brother Alexander Tait Jnr, the stag, grabbed a man by the throat.
Ms Silver said: “One lady observed them launch themselves at her friends, throwing punches indiscriminately.
“Another witness said they thought the initial exchange was ‘friendly banter’ and he was taken by surprise as he was punched to the head and body repeatedly.”
Another witness said they heard someone shouting “So you want a f**** fight? We will win.”
Fists and bottles were flying
One victim, who asked why they were arguing with them, was assaulted too.
“He saw a glass bottle being thrown in his direction but it missed and smashed behind him,” the fiscal depute said.
Another passenger told police she saw a man being punched on the head and body, and another said she saw one man “pummel three others with punches”.
The five attackers then made their way into an adjoining carriage shouting “who is f****** wide” and then began “hitting and punching indiscriminately”.
Bloodied faces
“One witness said she saw three young males punching people in their seats who couldn’t get up,” Ms Silver added.
“She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“Another witness heard ladies screaming and thought a riot had broken out.”
Another witness described dodging a flying glass bottle before the incident eventually ended when the train stopped at Forres.
Police, who had received six separate 999 calls during the short journey, attended but the five men escaped from the train windows before the guard could open the doors.
“Officers observed numerous people in distress, some with bloodied faces, and called for further units to attend,” Ms Silver added.
Only Michael Tait was traced that evening, hiding under a bush.
Men admit handful of charges each
Alexander Tait Snr, of High Street, Aberlour, admitted three charges of assault.
The laundry worker’s defence agent Gerry O’Donnell said he had enjoyed a “convivial day” with no trouble up to this point despite drinking more than he should have.
He said Tait Snr had gone to the toilet and when he returned it was “clear things had kicked off” and he became involved.
“There is a record, and this was not out-of-character for him,” the solicitor accepted.
Mark Tait, of High Street, Aberlour, pled guilty to two assault charges and a breach of the peace.
His solicitor Patrick Campbell said he was 18 at the time and had consumed “far too much” alcohol on his elder brother’s stag do. He “became involved because he was fearful there was the potential of some harm to other family members”.
Like the other men, he has previous convictions on his record.
“I cannot say it was out-of-character, given his record, but I can say that he has had time to reflect and is appalled by his behaviour on that day,” Mr Campbell added.
Behaviour was ‘not out of character’
Michael Tait, of High Street, Aberlour, admitted breaching the peace, resisting arrest and breaching his curfew.
His defence solicitor Gerry Sweeney said the father-of-one “was not involved in any specific acts of violence on the train”.
“His involvement is he witnesses a young man stand up and punch his dad and he becomes involved,” Mr Sweeney said.
Tait was found hiding in a bush near the Royal Hotel in Forres and resisted arrest when police used pepper spray on him.
Kevin Low, of Cameron Drive, Keith, admitted breach of the peace and one charge of assault.
His defence agent Matthew O’Neill said the unemployed dad-of-four got involved after seeing his father-in-law appear to be struck.
“Having seen that and emboldened by the amount of alcohol that had been consumed he got himself involved,” he said.
“Had he taken time to think about what he was involving himself in he would never have done so.”
Groom fought week before wedding
The groom-to-be Alexander Tait Jnr, of Den Street, Keith, lastly admitted one breach of the peace and three assault charges.
His solicitor Stephen Carty said: “It was his wedding one week later, which was the cause of all parties going to Inverness this day.
“He works full-time and is married with two children. He clearly regrets becoming involved in this matter.”
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood told all five men: “I can see little or no reason to distinguish between you in sentencing.
“There was no need for any of you to join in what happened.”
The men smiled at each other in the dock as each was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work within six months as an alternative to custody.
An earlier version of this story said that women were among the attack victims however not guilty pleas to those charges were accepted by the Crown.
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