Edinburgh crime: Man fractured best friend's skull after altercation at The Buccleuch pub in Dalkeith

A man who left his best friend of 25 years with a fractured skull following an altercation in a pub has been ordered to pay compensation. Steven Lannagan pushed best mate Ian Callaghan on the chest during a drunken incident at The Buccleuch bar in Dalkeith, Midlothian, in October 2021.

Mr Callaghan fell backwards and smashed his head off the pub’s concrete floor leaving him unconscious for around 20 minutes. Lannagan, from Preston, Lancashire, was said to have been distraught after realising what he had done and had attempted to help his pal before paramedics arrived on the scene.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the victim suffered horror injuries including a fracture to his skull and bleeding on the brain and was rushed to the capital’s Royal Infirmary for emergency treatment. The 46-year-old was arrested and charged and was facing an allegation of assault to severe injury and danger to life when he appeared in the dock at the city court on Tuesday, April 25. The Crown accepted the deletion of the danger to life from the complaint and Lannagan pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Callaghan to his severe injury on October 29, 2021.

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Fiscal depute Jennifer McLaren told the court the friends had been out socialising with others and following a meal they had headed to the pub in Buccleuch Street. She said: “Just prior to midnight at a table at the bar area Mr Callaghan had stood in front of the accused and had his hands in his pockets. He had been leaning into the accused to speak with him and at this point the accused has used his right hand to push Mr Callaghan to the chest causing him to stumble backwards and fall to the ground. Mr Callaghan hit his head on the concrete floor causing him to lose consciousness.”

The fiscal said Lannagan had immediately “run over to Mr Callaghan’s side and attempted to assist him” as he lay prone on the ground and an ambulance was contacted. The victim was out cold for around 20 minutes and Lannagan was said to have “spoken freely with police” and apologised for what he had done. The court was told the victim suffered a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and a two inch cut to the back of his head. He was assessed by a neuro surgeon team and released from hospital two days later following observations.

Defending solicitor Brian Gilfedder said his client worked in hospitality and the pair had been “best friends for 25 years prior to this incident”. Mr Gilfedder said Lannagan had “cooperated fully with the police” and had attempted to help his friend while he was lying unconscious on the pub floor. Sheriff Donald Corke said due to the deletion of danger to life and the lack of previous convictions he could deal with the matter without calling for reports.

Lannagan was fined a total of £640 and told he must pay Mr Callaghan £750 in compensation. He admitted to assaulting Ian Callaghan by pushing him on the body causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head resulting in him losing consciousness to his severe injury at The Buccleuch public house on October 29, 2021.

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