Colin Swan, 22, of Lochbank, Livingston, repeatedly kicked and stamped on victim David Farrell's head following an argument in a car park outside the Livingston Designer Outlet in Almondvale on December 22 last year.

The horrific assault was captured on security cameras. Mr Farrell, 44, had been out celebrating landing a new job when he was attacked.


At the High Court in Glasgow, judge Lord Kinclaven was given an account of the injuries Mr Farrell suffered in his own words.

He said: "My right eyeball socket was smashed, seemingly my eye dropped down inside my head."

"The cheekbone under my left eye was smashed........There's metal plates, nuts and bolts in both sides of my face."

At an earlier court hearing advocate depute Alastair Brown said Mr Farrell sustained multiple facial fractures, including splintered bones, with the orbits of both eyes, cheeks, jaw and bones at the side of the skull broken.

"His treatment has involved several operations, the removal of splinters of bone, the insertion of plates and the packing of some parts of his skull with gauze to try to recreate a satisfactory shape after the damage inflicted by Swan," he said.

Mr Farrell also suffered swelling of the brain following the attack and underwent a tracheotomy to allow him to breathe.

The prosecutor said further surgery will be required for the assault victim and added: "He will never recover his normal appearance."

The court heard that Mr Farrell was heavily sedated for a week in hospital following the attack and remembers nothing between December 22 and New Year.

Swan admitted attempting to murder Mr Farrell, and defence counsel Ronnie Renucci said: "Nothing can excuse his totally unacceptable behaviour. However, he has expressed genuine regret and remorse for his actions. He showed horror when he viewed the CCTV images and finds it difficult to come to terms with the fact that he acted in this way."

Swan also admitted taking part in an attack with co-accused, brothers Gordon, 24, of Walker Road and Steven Graham, 35, of Croftfoot Drive, both Fauldhouse, on Scott Hadden, 20, who had been out drinking with Mr Farrell and his son, David.

Lord Kinclaven told Swan: "If it had not been for your early plea of guilty the sentence would have been one of eight years."

Lord Kinclaven said he accepted that Swan felt remorse and revulsion for what he had done and was a first offender, but added: "The courts need to deter others."

Gordon Graham was jailed for six months for the assault on Mr Hadden and his brother Steven for four months.