ANDREW FRAME AND WILLIAM STRANGE FROM KIRKCALDY SENTENCED FOR ATTACKING DISABLED MAN IN BURNTISLAND

Two care workers responsible for the welfare of a severely disabled man have been formally sentenced at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court after a disturbing incident that took place in Burntisland. Andrew Frame, aged 27, and William Strange, aged 55, were both handed community payback orders following their conviction for assaulting Matthew Millar, a man with significant physical and mental disabilities who relies heavily on round-the-clock care.

According to reports, a close relative of Mr. Millar expressed profound distress over the treatment he received at the hands of the care workers. The relative, who chose to remain anonymous, described the situation as an escalation of an already difficult existence for Mr. Millar. “Matthew is always traumatised. Matthew’s life is basically a living hell,” the relative stated. “He’s continually in pain and has a terrible life. For them to make it a hell of a lot worse is sickening.”

Mr. Millar suffers from Cornelia de Lange syndrome, a genetic disorder that has severely impacted his physical and mental development. His condition necessitates constant supervision and care, with two carers always present to assist him 24 hours a day. The incident in question occurred on January 11, when Frame and Strange were found guilty of repeatedly punching Mr. Millar in the head on Burntisland High Street. Additionally, Frame was convicted of an extra charge for assaulting Mr. Millar at the A92 Redhouse Roundabout on February 14 of the previous year.

Following their convictions, the court imposed community service: Andrew Frame was ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work, while William Strange received a sentence of 150 hours of community service. The relative of Mr. Millar voiced their outrage, emphasizing that while many care staff perform their duties admirably, the actions of these two individuals were a gross betrayal of trust. “Some care staff are excellent. But they preyed on a vulnerable young man who is in a wheelchair, can’t speak and can’t even dress himself or feed himself, and they were punching his head and face,” they said.

During the sentencing, Sheriff Grant McCulloch acknowledged the severity of the offense but noted that Andrew Frame, being a first-time offender, could have faced imprisonment. The sheriff also described Mr. Millar as a “difficult person to deal with,” referencing his communication challenges and hearing difficulties. The relative responded to this, highlighting the importance of proper care: “Matthew has a very severe illness and he is difficult. He can’t speak and can hardly hear so he can’t communicate and gets upset because nobody knows what’s wrong. Staff are trained to deal with that. No matter how difficult somebody is, they have to be cared for by society and it doesn’t include getting assaulted by your care staff.”

In a statement, a spokeswoman for The Richmond Fellowship Scotland confirmed that both Andrew Frame and William Strange had lost their employment as a consequence of their actions. She emphasized that their misconduct undermines the dedicated efforts of thousands of support staff who work tirelessly to provide compassionate care. “Their actions undermine the good work carried out every day by thousands of caring support staff,” she added, reaffirming the organization’s commitment to safeguarding vulnerable individuals and maintaining high standards of care.