A karaoke singer has been fined after assaulting a fellow reveller who insulted him after his performance.
Darren Stephenson’s victim was left needing hospital treatment after the 29-year-old pushed him outside McNasty’s on Summer Street, causing him to fall to the ground and hit his head.
The pair had earlier clashed inside the venue when Stephenson finished performing karaoke and the man made rude remarks towards him.
But when the bar closed, the man again approached Stephenson, who pushed him, causing him to fall and hit his head on the road.
‘There was a degree of provocation’
Stephenson, of Coulardhill Terrace, Lossiemouth, previously pled guilty to assault to injury and disfigurement, and has now appeared back in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to be sentenced.
Sheriff Philip Mann told him: “Had it not been for the fact the complainer, partly due to his inebriation, fell and struck his head, you probably wouldn’t have heard anything more about this incident.
“It was a very minor assault and there was a degree of provocation.”
He fined him £320.
Fiscal depute Dylan Middleton previously told Aberdeen Sheriff Court Stephenson and his victim had both left the bar as it was closing around 1.55am on March 14 2020.
He said Stephenson told the male not to “disrespect” his family.
Offence was ‘entirely out of character’
Stephenson then pushed him with both hands to the neck and chest area, resulting in the man falling over and striking his head on the road, causing it to start bleeding.
A member of the public then administered first aid and an ambulance was called, while Stephenson walked off towards Union Street.
The man was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where a cut above his eye was closed with stitches.
Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt said his client had been drinking at the bar and had not had any interaction with the male before performing karaoke.
He said: “When he stopped singing, the complainer approached him and directed abusive remarks at the accused.”
Mr Woodward-Nutt explained the man had continued to be “verbally abusive” outside the bar, and “regrettably” his client, instead of walking away, pushed the man away.
He said: “The complainer reacted by staggering away from the accused and seemed to trip over the edge of the pavement kerb and fall to the ground.”
The lawyer said Stephenson had not realised the man had hit his head, and left “because he didn’t want to become involved in any further trouble”.
He added his client “deeply regrets not simply disengaging”, and said his actions were “entirely out of character”.
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