A racist thug shouted offensive abuse at a man as he was up a ladder, before shaking it to force him to the ground and attacking him.
Charles O’Neill admitted carrying out the attack on Aaron Harvey on Regent Quay, after subjecting him to an offensive tirade.
The 33-year-old, of Oldcroft Road in Aberdeen, previously pleaded guilty to repeatedly punching Mr Harvey to his head and body in a racially aggravated assault.
He appeared at the city’s sheriff court yesterday to be sentenced.
Fiscal depute, Gavin Letford, told the court that O’Neill and his friends had left a pub on Friday, October 26, and come across Mr Harvey as he was on top of a ladder painting a front door.
The group shouted at him, startling Mr Harvey and causing him to lose his footing and slip down part of the ladder.
Mr Harvey turned around to confront the group and O’Neill addressed him with a racial slur based on his appearance.
He then began shaking the ladder until Mr Harvey was forced to come down.
At that point, O’Neill began punching him repeatedly on the head and face until a friend pulled him away.
Mr Harvey contacted the police to report the attack and officers later traced the accused.
The court heard that Mr Harvey did not require hospital treatment but sustained bruising and swelling.
Defence agent, John Hardie, said O’Neill had considered the initial incident where the group startled Mr Harvey to be “a joke”, but said his client apologised for his behaviour afterwards.
Sheriff Andrew Miller said O’Neill’s actions had been “very unpleasant”, particularly because of the racial element.
He put O’Neill on a curfew, meaning he has to stay in his home address between 7pm and 7am for the next six months, and also ordered him to wear an electronic tag.