Two thugs left man blind in one eye after horror attack in Glasgow park

Two thugs left a man blind in one eye after a horror attack in a Glasgow park.

Sleiman Bubakar and Asad Nawaz - both aged 22 - pounced on Steven McMeeking in an assault captured on graphic CCTV footage.

The 56 year-old was repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped upon before the victim was left lying in a pool of blood.

Bubakar had been freed on bail just 24 hours earlier facing a separate assault charge. The attackers yesterday appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow.

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Both pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr McMeeking to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment as well as to the danger of his life following the incident at the city's Govanhill Park on March 10 2023.

They were remanded in custody pending sentencing next month.

The victim had been out that evening and had cut through the park on his way home.

He spotted Libyan-born Bubakar sitting on a bench with three young women.

He asked if the females were "okay". Mr McMeeking was said to have then made a remark which Bubakar "took offence to".

Prosecutor Bill McVicar said: "Bubakar punched out at him and Nawaz ran over.

"They knocked Mr McMeeking to the ground. He was punched, kicked and stamped on to his head and body.

"Two of the young women and another man attempted to intervene and stop the attack.

"However, Bubakar and Nawaz continued the assault before stopping and walking away."

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Mr McMeeking was left stricken on the ground before a witness dialled 999 and went to help the victim. He was rushed to hospital with a number of serious injuries.

These included to his eye as well as bones at his nose "broken into many pieces".

Mr McVicar: "He has no vision in his right eye as a consequence of the assault."

Bubakar was traced as one of the assailants and was arrested on April 6 2023 at his home in the city's Pollokshields.

Nawaz was held the next day also at his home in the same area of Glasgow.

He put on a pair of trainers before going to the police station. The right shoe was found to have blood matching Mr McMeeking.

Bubakar had been freed on bail from Glasgow Sheriff Court on March 9 2023. This related to an assault charge, which saw him jailed for a month in February this year.

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He was previously locked up for 18 months for violence in 2021. He appeared from custody for this latest case.

His lawyer Rhonda Anderson yesterday called the attack on Mr McMeeking "atrocious with horrific consequences".

Paul Mullen, defending Nawaz, had asked for him to remain on bail stating he had been subject to a curfew that he had not breached.

But, judge Lady Drummond told the thugs they were both being remanded as sentencing was adjourned for reports until July 24 in Dundee.