The 16-year-old boy attacked Reece McCormack in Glasgow’s Eglinton Toll on August 29 2024.
The boy pushed Mr McCormack and kicked him to the body during the assault at a bus stop.
He pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to assaulting Mr McCormack to his injury.
The court heard that the victim suffers from a developmental language disorder.
He went to the bus stop to board in order to get to college that day when he came across the boy.
The boy asked Mr McCormack if he was “Ryan” and he replied: “No, I’m not Ryan.”
The boy did not accept Mr McCormack’s response and pushed him to the body.
Prosecutor Jeremy O’Neill said: “Mr McCormack fell to the ground and kicked him to the lower body.
“The victim asked the boy to desist from the assault.”
Mr McCormack’s mother – who lives nearby – oversaw the attack and shouted that her son was being attacked.
Another witness who saw the attack banged on a window which brought the assault to an end.
However, the boy brought out his mobile phone and filmed Mr McCormack and shouted at him.
Mr McCormack ran home and was noted to have slight bruising to his torso and a cut to his elbow as well as a scratch to his right eye.
The boy was later traced and arrested.
Claire Donoghue, defending, told the court that her client was unaware of Mr McCormack’s disability.
Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month by Sheriff Anna Reid who granted the boy bail meantime.
