Ormiston 'chap door run' prank ends in baton attack on farmer

Robert Rudkin lashed out at David Hanna with the weapon after hearing his neighbour had grabbed his son by the clothing after banging on the man’s door and running off.

Rudkin’s son was left terrified by Mr Hanna’s reaction to group of children knocking on doors in Ormiston, East Lothian, in October 2019.

Rudkin, 52, heard about the incident and approached Hanna and after pulling out the baton he beat the farmer on the body.

The raging dad then left the scene in a car driven by an unknown female leaving 53-year-old Mr Hanna battered and bruised in the street.

Mr Hanna called in the police and reported the attack at the village’s Main Street and after viewing local CCTV footage Rudkin was identified and later arrested and charged.

Rudkin, now of Tranent, East Lothian, failed to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today but lawyer Millie Virtue lodged a guilty plea to the assault in his absence.

Fiscal depute Sarah Quinn told the court Mr Hanna was out in the street at around 4.15pm when Rudkin “approached him in the roadway”.

Ms Quinn said: “Words were exchanged and resulted in Mr Rudkin drawing an extendable baton from his waistband and began to swing towards the complainer.

“He swung it approximately nine times with two to three of the swings connecting with the complainer.”

The fiscal added that Mr Hanna was struck on his left hand and to left side of his chest which left a three inch bruise.

Ms Virtue said the attack was a result of Mr Hanna hearing banging at his front door which was put down to local children playing “knock knock run”.

Rudkin’s son was among the group of children and the “ongoing issue” led to Mr Hanna chasing after the boys.

Ms Virtue said Mr Hanna had “grabbed Mr Rudkin’s son by the clothing” which had left the lad “hysterical”.

A local Chinese takeaway owner spotted the incident and took the boy inside his premises before taking the boy home and telling Rudkin what had taken place.

Sheriff Chris Dickson deferred sentence on Rudkin to next month.

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