A reveller left a man with three bleeds on his brain and deaf in one ear after knocking him out and causing his head to hit a kerb.
Craig Shand lashed out and knocked the man unconscious with a single punch following a row after a work Christmas night out.
The 24-year-old’s victim struck his head on the kerb as he fell to the ground, leaving him with three bleeds on the brain and deaf in one ear.
And now Shand has been ordered to pay the man £1,000 in compensation.
Fiscal depute Victoria Kerr told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “Around 1am on December 21 2019, the complainer left Huntly Football Club in order to make his way home after a night out.
“At around 1.20am he was walking along Gordon Street when he engaged in conversation with a group of revellers including the accused.
“The accused proceeded to punch the complainer to the face, causing him to lose consciousness and fall backwards, hitting his head off the kerb.”
Ms Kerr said the man was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he was found to have three minor bleeds on his brain.
Lawyer used air quotes in court when describing victim
The injuries were not deemed to be life-threatening, however he has lost hearing in one ear.
It is not known if his deafness will be permanent.
Shand was traced through CCTV footage and arrested.
He pled guilty to assault to severe injury and impairment.
Defence solicitor Debbie Wilson attacked the character of the injured man, saying he had been “a pain in the backside” in the football club earlier in the evening.
She also used her fingers to mark air quotes in court when describing him as a “victim”.
The lawyer said: “I’ve had the benefit of speaking to the complainer. He said he was very, very drunk and didn’t want to make a complaint.”
Ms Wilson told the court the man had thrown drinks at people and, when Shand tried to retrieve a jacket his colleague had left behind, he “blocked” him from doing so.
Victim ‘hasn’t quite learned his lesson’
She said: “The victim refused to let this older man get his coat back. He was just being a pain in the backside.”
Ms Wilson described the man as “being difficult” and a “nuisance” and said he “pestered” her client, following him after leaving the venue.
She added: “The victim clenched his fists, ready to throw a punch at Mr Shand who, in hindsight wrongly, turned and stopped him by throwing one punch at him.”
The solicitor said that while the offence was “out of character” for Shand and he was “remorseful”, she added his victim “hasn’t quite learned his lesson”.
Sheriff Robert Vaughan handed Shand, of Knockdhu Distillery Cottages, Knock, Huntly, a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody.
He ordered him to be supervised for 18 months and carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.
The sheriff also ordered Shand to pay his victim £1,000 in compensation.
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