Family of Scott Vineer plan to meet with the DPP

The Lisburn mother of autistic man and assault victim Scott Vineer is to meet the Director of Public of Prosecutions, Barra McGrory, to see if he will look into her son's case.
Scott Vineer with his mum Helen-Louise DoneyScott Vineer with his mum Helen-Louise Doney
Scott Vineer with his mum Helen-Louise Doney

Helen-Louise Doney said she and Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson plan to meet Mr McGrory soon to discuss her concerns over the leniency of a five-year jail term handed down to her son’s attacker.

Ryan Craig is currently serving a five-year jail term in relation to the 2012 attack which left Scott severely brain damaged.

Scott, who was 17 at the time, was on his way home from college when Craig and two others beat, kicked and attempted to strangle him in an unprovoked attack.

According to a confession from Craig, which was provided to a judge during a Crown Court hearing, they left Scott unconscious in a pool of blood in the grounds of a disused warehouse then threw his phone away so he was unable to call for help.

He was discovered more than 24 hours later by a police dog handler.

Scott , who was a teen at the time, was so badly injured doctors believed that he was unlikely to live.

Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson asked the Attorney General, John Larkin, to look at a challenge against the sentence.

Helen-Louise was to meet with the DPP a few weeks ago, but she fell ill suddenly due to her diabetes and was unable to attend the meeting.

“It was so annoying because it had taken weeks to set up that meeting,” said Helen-Louise.

“I reckon it was due to the stress of all of this.

“We will now have wait for some weeks, maybe months, before another meeting can be set up.”

Helen-Louise said she was left sickened to see one of her son’s alleged attackers and one of the key suspects in the case, around Lisburn.

While the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) took a case against Craig, they decided not to pursue the other two suspects.

Helen-Louise, also now fears that her son’s brain injury may be getting worse.

“After the attack Scott developed a shake,” said Mrs Doney.

“We have noticed that recently his shakes are getting worse at times.

“His head also shakes now. It never did before.

“His head has only begun to shake over the past few months. It gets a lot worse if he is tired or stressed.

“We are waiting to see the specialist at Musgrave Park Hospital about it.

“He still has a short term memory loss but we are more concerned about these shakes that he is having.”

Despite his extensive injuries Scott has worked hard to rebuild his life. He now has a girlfriend and is learning to drive.

“I’m so proud of him,” continued Helen-Louise. He is being very brave and trying his best to move on.”