Youth accused of attacking female jogger

Luis Shearer (20) allegedly chased the woman, grabbed her and put her in a headlock, restricting her breathing.

Shearer is from Bellshill, but is currently in custody. He denies assaulting and abducting the woman with intent to rape her and is on trial before a jury at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

The court heard the 27-year-old alleged victim managed to take a photo of Shearer immediatedly after the incident. He was chased and caught by two walkers who held him until police arrived.

The attack is said to have happened near the Roman bridge on the Bellshill side of the park on September 27 last year.

PC David Mooney said he arrived to find Shearer kneeling on the ground and being held by a member of the public. He said the youth was “slightly agitated and sweating”.

PC Mooney told the court that as he was being taken to the police station Shearer appeared “awfully concerned” about what was happening to his bag.

This was found to contain six packets of unused condoms and a can of deodorant.

During a filmed police interview shown in court, Shearer claimed he always carried that number of condoms with him.

He replied ‘no comment’ to many of the questions asked by detectives, but eventually admitted that he had grabbed the woman as she ran past him.

He said he had her in a headlock for “about five seconds” then she fell to the ground.

Asked why he chased her as she tried to escape, Shearer replied: “I didn’t want her to tell the police, that’s all.”

The court also heard that he apologised to the woman after the alleged assault, saying: “I’m not right in the head.”

The trial continues.