Gran brutally attacked by colleague at wake reveals 'nightmare' of facing him at work

Elizabeth Richardson tells how the horrific assault at the hands of Grant Rankin left her suffering from depression and anxiety.

A gran who was assaulted by a workmate at a fellow colleague’s wake has told how the horrific attack has left her suffering from depression and anxiety.

Elizabeth Richardson also said it was a “nightmare” to have to face her attacker at work afterwards.

The 52-year-old suffered severe trauma to her head, face and neck after being set upon by Grant Rankin as she lay motionless on the ground.

They were attending the wake of a Sainsbury’s DHL workmate when “all hell broke loose”. Witnesses said the rammy left Greenhills Bar in East Kilbride “absolutely trashed”.

New dad Rankin, 25, from East Kilbride, pled guilty by letter to a charge of assault and threatening or abusive behaviour in April last year.

His dad Alexander Rankin, 53, also from the town, was involved in the fracas too and admitted a charge of threatening and abusive behaviour.

He also works alongside Elizabeth at the Langlands distribution centre in East Kilbride.

Elizabeth said: “It has been hell for me ever since, and to this day I still can’t understand why he did this to me. Grant is the last person I would have expected to do this and, as far as I was aware, we got on.

“He was a decent guy and there were never any issues between us. It was totally out of character.”

Elizabeth was left with crippling vertigo and was unable to work for 12 weeks after the assault.

She also needed powerful painkillers following the attack and, more than a year later, remains on anti-depressants.

While she remembers the moments leading up to the unprovoked assault, she has no memory of being set upon.

However, the brawl was captured on CCTV, with police officers telling her that Grant Rankin could clearly be seen kicking her to the head a number of times – even while she was unconscious.

Elizabeth told our sister paper the East Kilbride News: “All I remember is there being an argument later on, maybe around 7pm or 8pm, and Alexander was involved.

“Folk had had a good drink by this point. My partner went to the toilet but said to me to get my stuff together so we could go, because it was all going to ‘kick off’.

“The last thing I remember is looking up and seeing someone running towards me with a chair and being in the middle of a group of men.

“Then that’s it – blank – until I came to in hospital.

“Police told me Grant could be seen on the CCTV coming from outside the bar to get involved.”

Elizabeth was taken to hospital with severe bruising and cuts to her face and head. She was placed in a neck brace and had a precautionary CT scan.

“I remember coming to the next morning,” she added. “I just thought, ‘What the hell has happened?’ Then I saw my face and the blood and I got the fright of my life. I was a mess.”

While the cuts and bruises may have healed, the ordeal is far from over for Elizabeth, who is living with severe anxiety.

She said: “This has affected every part of my life. And when I finally got back to work, it was a nightmare. Having to face Grant and his dad every time I go into work is just awful.

“I just want to know why I was attacked like this. Why me?”

Elizabeth said she was told by bosses that action wouldn’t be taken until after the court case. Both Rankins are expected to appear in court for sentencing on August 5.

Sainsbury’s said the three workers are DHL employees.

A spokesperson for DHL Supply Chain said: “We offered the alleged victim every support following the incident, including the option to move to an office-based role, to change shifts or move to another location on site, but each of these was declined.”