A violent robber who attacked and stole from a vulnerable man just two days after being released from prison has been locked up again.
Charles Skinner repeatedly punched and kicked his victim before fleeing, but he was later found sleeping on a nearby stairwell with the stolen goods.
The 44-year-old, who stole the man’s wallet containing £50 and his mobile telephone, had been given early release from a previous jail term on November 18 last year.
But only two days later, he targeted a resident at the Lord Hays Court assisted living complex in St Ninan’s Place, Aberdeen.
Fiscal depute Brian Young said Skinner had been introduced to his victim through a mutual friend at the man’s home the day before the horrifying ordeal.
‘Repeatedly kicked and punched man’
He’d returned unexpectedly at 4pm on November 20 last year – the day of the crime – and told his victim that he’d been asked to visit by their mutual friend.
“The complainer allowed him in and both went into the living room where they spoke for around half an hour,” the fiscal told Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
“Without any provocation, the complainer was assaulted – causing him to fall off the sofa and onto the floor, where the accused proceeded to kick and strike him numerous times to the face and body.
“The complainer was aware of the accused taking his wallet containing £50 and his mobile telephone.”
Skinner’s victim then dragged himself across the floor and pulled an emergency cord to call the care warden for help.
On her way to the scene, the warden came across Skinner apparently asleep and intoxicated on the stairs.
After calling for an ambulance and the police, she went on to find Skinner’s victim on the floor of his home and covered in blood.
Victim suffered nose fracture, facial swelling and blood loss
Police found Skinner covered in blood but uninjured and with a bag next to him containing stolen medicines and a mobile phone.
Skinner’s victim was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary suffering sore ribs, a nose fracture, extensive swelling to his face and head and a large amount of blood loss from his face, hands, nose and mouth.
A broken top front tooth was pushed back into his mouth and the swelling on his face was so severe he could not open his left eye.
Skinner, who has been held on remand at HMP Grampian in Peterhead since the attack, admitted a charge of assault to severe injury and robbery.
His defence agent Tony Burgess said his client “very quickly went back to drug and alcohol abuse” on his release from prison but he wished to immediately admit his guilt.
‘His personal disgust is genuine’
The solicitor explained that a previous conversation about a mutual friend’s experience of sexual assault had triggered memories of Skinner’s late partner who he had discovered dead after a similar experience.
“He says he became angry upon hearing of this and that the rest is a mystery to him in terms of his ability to recall what happened thereafter.
“He accepts the complainer’s position completely. He was angered by the information he had been given and, in his mind, that was his provocation.
“I can confirm his personal disgust for what he has done has been real and genuine.”
Skinner, who has previous convictions for crimes of dishonesty and violence, was handed a two-year prison term backdated to November 2022.
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