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A beautician’s life was drastically altered after a single punch from an MMA fighter during a night out, resulting in serious injuries and ongoing health challenges. Anne Marie Boyle, a mother of two and a beauty and complementary therapist, was left unconscious after rejecting the advances of Sean McInnes in a South Lanarkshire pub in September 2024. The assault caused her to suffer a broken eye socket and cheekbone, along with a brain injury that triggered seizures and left her with lasting physical and emotional trauma.
Anne Marie recounted that the night started off quietly, as she was at a pub in East Kilbride with her cousins to attend a psychic show. Despite not usually frequenting the bar, she found herself confronted repeatedly by McInnes, who persistently ignored her refusals. “This boy kept approaching the table. He just wouldn’t take no for an answer. He just wouldn’t leave us alone,” she explained. Reflecting on the incident, she noted warning signs of boundary violations, adding, “He did understand no – it just wasn’t the answer that he wanted.”
Tensions escalated as the group left the pub, with McInnes continuing to harass Anne Marie and her friends. She described the encounter as aggressive, saying, “Verbal aggression, just shouting, screaming in our faces, towering over us, wouldn’t let us go by.” The situation culminated when McInnes pushed her cousin and then landed a punch to Anne Marie’s face, knocking her out. “I was knocked unconscious. Immediately after that he knocked another boy unconscious,” she said. The extent of the violence was compounded by McInnes’ background as a trained MMA fighter, which made his assault particularly severe.
The aftermath for Anne Marie has been profound. Hospitalized for three weeks, she was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder, a condition that disrupts brain signals to the body and causes seizures, involuntary tremors, and chronic pain. The attack robbed her of her business, revoked her driving license, and severely impacted her mental health. “My life is completely different. I can’t go out on my own. My anxiety is so bad and I don’t know what people’s intentions are now,” she shared. The court case was further distressing, with McInnes denying the assault until the trial when he admitted guilt. Sentenced to 21 months, Anne Marie was disappointed in the relatively short punishment. “He will get out and he will go back to his family and his children,” she said. “He’ll be able to drive, go back to his job. And I can’t work because I could drop at any time.” Determined to protect others, she hopes her story raises awareness about such dangers and helps create a safer world for women, including her daughters. “That love has what has got me through this. I’m telling this story because I don’t want this to happen to anyone else that might not have the support system, that might not be strong, that might not have the strength.”
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