A man who left a neighbour with a pellet lodged permanently in his head after attacking him with a BB gun has been jailed.
Grzegorz Platt had to have a number of pieces of plastic surgically removed from his face after Patryk Trocki appeared at his home on New Year’s Day and shot him repeatedly with an air pistol.
Mr Platt still has at least one of the pellets stuck under his skin after surgeons ruled it was too risky to remove without causing further damage.
Trocki previously appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted attacking his neighbour in the city’s Printfield Walk earlier this year.
The court heard the attack had been carried out in the presence of Mr Platt’s 10-year-old son, who thought his dad was going to die.
Fiscal depute Stephanie Ross said Trocki had appeared at his victim’s house following a phone call during which the pair had argued.
She said he had his hood up and, when Mr Platt came to the door, Trocki shouted at him before firing six times in quick succession.
She said: “His 10-year-old son was hysterical and kept shouting for his dad.
“He had followed him down to the communal entrance at the time. The disturbance was heard by neighbours in the vicinity who saw the accused with a gun in his hand.
“Another lady in the block heard the 10-year-old saying ‘he is trying to kill my dad’.
“First the shots hit him to the face just below his nose.
“At this point he put his hand to his face and turned to the left. The other shots hit him at the right hand side of the face, making contact with his cheek and near his mouth and ear. The impact caused him to fall to the ground.”
The court heard Mr Platt was taken to hospital and had to return a week later for specialist treatment.
Miss Ross said numerous “small incisions” were made around his face to remove all bar one of the pellets.
It was decided that because of the location, and the fact it was not causing him any discomfort, it would be better to leave it than risk taking it out.
Sheriff Graeme Napier said he could not comprehend how Trocki’s victim and young son must have felt that night.
He said he felt there was no alternative than to jail the 37-year-old. He was sentenced to 16 months which was reduced from two years for his early plea.