No jail term for Capital boxing champ who left man unconscious

Jason Easton, 26 admitted punching Andrew Raeburn on the head, causing his victim to fall to the ground. Andrew, 26, was left unconscious after striking his head on concrete.

IBO Intercontinental Super-lightweight champion Easton was placed on a Community Payback Order for 18 months and ordered to undergo Anger Management Group Work, to do 250 hours of unpaid work within 12 months and to pay £500 compensation to Mr Raeburn for the assault described by police as “a violent and frightening attack”. The 26-year old from Edinburgh had pled guilty at the city’s Sheriff Court previously to assaulting Andrew Raeburn, 26, to his severe injury on July 23, 2017, in Market Street near Waverly Station. Mr Raeburn had been out with two friends at around 3.30am when he was attacked and left with serious head and facial injuries.

Sentence had been deferred until yesterday for reports.

Defence solicitor Nigel Bruce told Sheriff Donald Corke that the victim had been punched once, fell and hit his head on the pavement and was unconscious. The end result of the punch had been unintended and Easton had put Mr Raeburn in the recovery position. “At that time he was a professional boxer and [he] has a good future ahead of him if you do decide not to send him to prison,” said Mr Bruce. He added that his client had been suspended from the sport by the British Boxing Board of Control until the outcome of the case was decided.

He had a girlfriend and son and was presently working as a roofer, earning £10 an hour and working as many hours as he could. The Social Work report, he said, recommended a Community Payback Order which would allow Easton to continue his boxing career.

Sheriff Corke said the attack had started with an exchange of words between two groups. The consequences had been unfortunate and unforeseeable. Alcohol was no excuse, he added.