A THUG has been caged for two years after a “mass brawl” where he broke a police officer’s elbow and threw him in front of a bus.

Gordon McKinlay and his brother Ian were two of 30 people caught up in the madness. The pair were with a group in Ayr commemorating the 10 year anniversary of a friend’s death. But it all became heated when a disturbance kicked off with a wedding party at the Mercure hotel.

Police intervened when they saw 30-year-old Gordon McKinlay punch a man on arrival, but he quickly turned on the officer, struck him on the head and put him in a headlock. The officer managed to wriggle free but then McKinlay launched him in front of a bus.

McKinlay was found guilty of causing severe injury by assault and causing injury by assault to two police officers. He was also charged with carrying cocaine on him on the night as well. One of McKinlay’s victim missed 11 weeks of work while he recovered.

Defending McKinlay, solicitor Peter Lockhart described his brother as the main aggressor. Mr Lockhart told the court: “What seems to be the catalyst to the trouble was his brother. His behaviour was not in the same vein as Gordon McKinlay. He was trying to calm his brother down.

“What is surprising is the change in behaviour from Gordon McKinlay, going from peacemaker to a moment of madness.”

However, Sheriff Desmond Leslie had no doubt a jail sentence was necessary. He said: “Sometimes lessons have to be learned the hard way. In your case you don’t seem to have learned any lessons from your past.

“You became involved with police despite the fact you were with your family. This could have easily got completely out of control. You got hold of a police officer, threw him to ground and broke his elbow.

“These are officers in the line of fire, in employment they should not be submitted to this level of violence.”

Mr Lockhart explained McKinlay has been out of trouble for four years and hasn’t spent time in custody in over eight years, but Sheriff Leslie instructed a two year prison sentence for the brutal attacks and a fine of £500 for the possession of cocaine. Sheriff Leslie told McKinlay: “You were socialising, you had cocaine on you, that doesn’t describe you as a family man as you say.”

Ayrshire Police Division were glad to see McKinlay behind bars for his attacks. Chief Inspector Derek Frew, Area Commander, said: “I welcome the conviction and sentence handed to McKinlay today, which provides reassurance to our community and hopefully acts as a deterrent to others who may commit similar offences. I would like take this opportunity to acknowledge the bravery of the officers involved and thank the witnesses who came forward to assist with the investigation.

“I would like to stress that any attacks on my officers or members of the other emergency services will not be tolerated and any such assaults will be fully investigated with the view to securing a conviction against the offender.”

His brother Ian McKinlay was sentenced at the time of trial and will serve eight months in prison for his part in the incident.

for behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, forming part of a disorderly crowd, shouting and swearing and acting in an aggressive manner.