A thug kicked a former workmate on the head until she was unconscious at a funeral wake in an East Kilbride pub.
Grant Rankin pled guilty to kicking grandmother Elizabeth Richardson repeatedly on the floor of Greenhills Bar in 2019.
CCTV footage of the shocking incident was shown at Hamilton Sheriff Court yesterday.
54-year-old Elizabeth had become caught up in fighting between DHL Sainsbury's work colleagues, Lanarkshire Live reports.
Elizabeth said she and her family have been through three years of "absolute hell", with the case postponed a number of times since original guilty pleas made in court in May 2020 were then withdrawn. She was beaten so badly she has no memory of the attack itself.
Grant Rankin, 27, of North Berwick Crescent, East Kilbride, admitted assaulting Elizabeth at the pub on April 29, 2019. His dad, Alexander Rankin, 55, of Lomond, East Kilbride, admitted threatening or abusive behaviour by shouting, swearing, engaging in a fight and acting aggressively.
The Crown accepted that Alexander Rankin acted under provocation.
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Elizabeth told Lanarkshire Live: "I feel as if I have had three years of my life just taken away from me - to this day I can't remember everything that happened.
"For me to think that was it done and I might get closure two years ago when they initially pled guilty, to all the stress since they changed their pleas back to not guilty - it's been a nightmare and a total farce that has just went on and on.
"And the worst thing is to this day I don't know why I was attacked by Grant the way I was. I will never understand it."
The gran still suffers from vertigo, was left with crippling anxiety and, for more than a year after the beating, was prescribed anti-depressants.
Those involved had attended the funeral of a work colleague. Mourners went on to the pub and trouble broke out after 9pm.
Rebecca Clark, prosecuting, told the court: "What were described as simmering tensions escalated. There was pushing, shoving, shouting and swearing. One male lifted a chair.
"In the course of this melee Elizabeth Richardson, who was not part of the fight, was caught up in it and was knocked to the ground.
"I don't believe Grant Rankin was trying to kick her in particular, but she was kicked repeatedly on the head while on the ground and was knocked unconscious.
"She was on the floor for a period of time. She was then taken to hospital and underwent a CT scan. She sustained bruising and doesn't remember much about the incident.
"Grant Rankin sent a message to her almost immediately. He apologised, saying: 'Are you ok? It was me who kicked you, but it was by accident. I feel sick about it.'
"The entire incident was captured on CCTV and those involved were identified."
A third accused, Kyle Rankin, 25, also of Lomond, had his not guilty plea to the charge of threatening or abusive behaviour accepted.
Neither Grant Rankin nor his dad have previous convictions, the court heard. Sheriff Ross Macfarlane deferred sentence on both until next month for criminal justice social work reports.
The men will also be assessed for electronic tagging orders.
