Michael Beuckmann admits Evan Mulrine murder bid
A man is facing a lengthy jail term for attempting to murder a teenager in an unprovoked street attack in Glasgow.
Michael Beuckmann, 20, admitted punching, kicking and stamping on 16-year-old Evan Mulrine in the Crosshill area on 16 February this year.
Co-accused Corrie McLaren and Dylan Stewart, both 19, admitted to a charge of assault over their involvement.
At the High Court in Glasgow, judge Lord Turnbull remanded all three in custody and deferred sentencing.
The court heard how Mr Mulrine, who was described as a "small, skinny and quiet boy", had been out with friends in the city's Victoria Road area on the evening of 16 February.
Beuckmann, McLaren and Stewart later joined the group. Mr Mulrine did not know them, but some of his friends did.
Later in the night, the teenager found himself alone with the trio.
One of them offered Mr Mulrine a cigarette and he followed them to a back court area in Prince Edward Street.
Within seconds, Beuckmann attacked the teenager, repeatedly punching him on the face.
McLaren and Stewart then joined in the attack before the latter raced off with the victim's rucksack.
Beuckmann continued to assault the schoolboy, who was then kicked and stamped upon until he was unconscious.
The court heard how Mr Mulrine pleaded for Beuckmann to stop and how one resident who witnessed the attack described it as "horrible to watch".
'Smashed some boy'
Beuckmann fled before witnesses dialled 999 and later boasted to a friend at the hostel where he was staying: "Can't believe what happened last night. Heavy smashed some boy - jumped all over his nut."
A badly hurt Mr Mulrine - who had footwear marks all over his face and neck - was taken to the city's Victoria Infirmary where doctors were concerned about a spinal injury and bleeding on his brain.
He also had multiple fractures to his nose and face and required surgery for a damaged cheekbone and had a plate inserted at his eye socket.
The teenager was eventually released from hospital on 6 March, but later required to attend a specialist head injury rehabilitation service.
The court was told that without medical help he would have died.
McLaren and Stewart had also faced an attempted murder allegation, but instead each admitted to the lesser charge of assault.