An Aberdeen man who hospitalised a reveller by punching him four times to the head was arrested by police when he came back to pick up his belongings.
Lee Ritchie, 47, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted attacking the man and rendering him unconscious at the city’s Northern Bar.
As a result of the assault, the man was left with a skull fracture and a bleed on the brain.
But Ritchie was soon arrested by police when he called the bar and arranged to pick up some things he’d left behind.
Punched man four times
Fiscal depute Rebecca Thompson told the court that on the evening of October 21 last year the victim and his partner were drinking in the Northern Bar where Ritchie was already present.
At around 11.50pm the bar manager became aware of tension in the bar involving Ritchie.
“The complainer exited the bar followed by the accused and as he was doing so the accused threw two punches, first with his left then right fist to the complainer’s head,” Ms Thompson said.
“The complainer continued to walk away from the accused but appeared to be staggering.
“Seconds later the accused threw another two punches to the complainer’s head, causing him to fall to the ground and rendering him unconscious.”
Ritchie immediately left the scene and as police and ambulance services arrived they found the victim lying on the pavement outside the Sainsbury’s store on George Street.
He was now conscious and had a visible bump on his head but was unable to recall what had happened.
Upon being taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary he was examined and found to have a minor linear skull fracture and a small bleed on the brain.
The manager of the Northern Bar then informed police that Ritchie had called the pub about property he had left there that he wanted to pick up before the bar closed.
Police waited within the bar until 00.55am when Ritchie walked into collect his things and was arrested.
Appearing in the dock, Ritchie, of Auchmill Road, Aberdeen, pleaded guilty to one charge of assault.
‘Extremely apologetic’
His defence solicitor, Iain Hingston, told the court that Ritchie was now “extremely apologetic” regarding his behaviour that night.
“He recognises it is a serious matter but it is perhaps on the lower end of the things that we see in this court.
“That said, Mr Ritchie does take into account that there was a serious injury.”
Sheriff Gerald Sinclair told Ritchie that an offence of this nature “quite often” leads to a prison sentence.
He added: “But before I go down that road I must see if there is no alternative available.
“You were remorseful for your behaviour and you have taken steps to deal with what has been a longstanding issue with alcohol.”
Sheriff Sinclair sentenced Ritchie to a community payback order with supervision for 18 months and ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
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