Man punched Kilmarnock woman who said no to cuddle By Mary McCool

BBC Scotland news Published duration 9 January 2019

image copyright Google image caption The attack is said to have happened near O'Shannons bar in Kilmarnock

A man punched a young woman after she said no to a cuddle on Hogmanay - leaving her with a fractured skull.

The 24-year-old fell to the ground, hitting her head, after being struck near O'Shannon's bar on Fowlds Street, Kilmarnock.

Her mother told BBC Scotland she feared the man "could have killed" her daughter, who wishes to remain anonymous.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

The victim's mother said: "The guy that did this asked her for a cuddle, [my daughter] said no.

"She very rarely drinks and they weren't going to go out. They were in O' Shannons for an hour and a half.

"They were just at the noodle bar when this guy approached her. She's not the type of girl who likes people cuddling her - no means no, it doesn't matter what it is.

"But he came back again. She held her hands up in front of him and said 'no I don't want cuddle' and at that point he had her off the ground.

"He punched her on the side of the face and down she went and landed on her head."

Fractured skull

The victim had been in the bar with friends and her partner, who took her to hospital.

She was treated and sent home under supervision - but the following morning her mother said she was "crawling" to the toilet in pain.

The mother said: "They glued her head because it was burst open at the back and sent her home, but I knew something wasn't right.

"Her partner phoned me back the next morning saying she had to get a CT scan and discovered she had a fractured skull."

Police said inquiries were at an early stage. The woman's mother has urged anyone with information to come forward.

She continued: "I'm still in a state of shock, I just can't believe someone could do that to my daughter - she's my baby and it just tears me up so much.

"I could kill him, that's how I feel. He could have killed her and he just ran away.

"I think she's very sceptical about going back out, but she doesn't want it to stop her - why should he stop her? She's got a life to lead as well.

"I don't want him to be able to do this to anyone else."