Man who assaulted Good Samaritan after falling off bike ordered to pay compensation

A thug who assaulted a Good Samaritan who had come to his aid after he fell from his bike has been ordered to pay the man compensation.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court

Mitchell Taylor launched an unprovoked attack on Steven Simpson who was checking on him after he had injured himself by coming off his bike in Edinburgh city centre.

Taylor, 26, punched Mr Simpson to the ground before sitting on his chest and repeatedly striking him to the face and head.

Mr Simpson had been walking home from a night out when he came across Taylor lying on the ground at the city’s Robertson’s Close in June 2019.

Taylor was eventually identified and arrested and he admitted the assault when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court earlier this year.

Taylor was back in the dock for sentencing on Monday October 4th where Sheriff Adrian Fraser ordered him to carry out 90 hours of unpaid work in the community.

The 26-year-old, of Lochend, Edinburgh, was also placed on a 12-month supervision order and told he must pay his victim £200 in compensation.

Previously the court was told Mr Simpson had been at a city nightclub and was making his way home when he encountered Taylor lying in the street at around 3.30am on June 23, 2019.

Fiscal depute Morgan Beattie said: “As he made his way down Robertson’s Close he stopped to take some photographs.

“He observed the accused, who had fallen off his bicycle, lying on the ground.

“The complainer approached the accused and asked if he was OK? He said he was fine and the complainer began to initially walk away.

“However the accused shouted towards the complainer ‘do you want some?’ and ran towards the complainer in an aggressive manner.

“The accused punched him to the left side of the head knocking him to the ground.

“He then sat on top the complainer and continued to punch him to the head and body.”

Mr Simpson managed to break free from the unprovoked attack and Taylor was arrested and charged after police had been alerted.

Defence solicitor Ross Gardner said his client had suffered two cuts to his head but added Taylor could not recall how he came by the injuries.

Mr Gardner said there had been “very little reason” for the violence and there had been “a misunderstanding” between the pair due to “a combination of alcohol and the head injury”.

Taylor pleaded guilty to assaulting Steven Simpson by punching him to the head causing him to fall to the ground, sit astride him pinning him to the ground and continuing to punch him to the and face at Robertson’s Close, Cowgate, Edinburgh, on June 23, 2019.