Autistic offender battered his sister's partner during 'family disagreement' in Maddiston

Lewis Haggerty, 20, appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pleaded guilty to assaulting a man – repeatedly punching him on the head to his injury – at an address in Simpson Drive, Maddiston on May 26 last year.

At a previous appearance the court heard Haggerty’s sister and her boyfriend arrived at her gran’s home to try and “resolve and ongoing family disagreement”.

When the couple later came back outside, Haggerty followed them. His sister’s boyfriend tried to put his car window up at the time, but Haggerty was able to repeatedly punch him through the open window.

The man was left with a lump on his head and a small cut to his lower lip, but did not require medical attention.

It was stated Haggerty who was said to have autism, Asperger’s and ADHD, found it difficult to control his emotions on the day in question.

Last Thursday, defence solicitor Simon Hutchison said: “This whole issue was caused by his sister, who has previously been in dispute with the family. She went to her gran’s address and caused further difficulties.

"My client basically chased her out of the house. Her boyfriend then drove his car at my client and my client reacted badly to that.”

Sheriff Simon Collins heard Haggerty, 45 Simpson Drive, Maddiston, had been of good behaviour since the incident and simply admonished him.