An Aberdeen man sent a female reveller to the emergency room after she swatted him with her handbag outside a nightclub, a court has heard.
Ryan Laird appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted punching the woman so hard she fell back onto the pavement after the pair got into a heated altercation.
She went to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) for treatment, where she was left with a swollen face and had to have a gash on her head glued together by medics.
The 21-year-old’s solicitor told the court that the assault was in response to his client being struck with a handbag.
Woman had to go to hospital
Fiscal depute Georgia Laird told the court that at around 2am on July 15 this year the woman left a city centre nightclub and was standing on Crown Street when she noticed a fight had started.
Laird came over and stood in front of her and she shouted at him to go away.
“The accused punched her with a closed fist, which caused her to fall backwards onto the pavement,” Ms Laird said.
“He thereafter left the locus. As a result of the incident the complainer attended ARI where she was assessed and found to have swelling to her nose and was advised that she may have a concussion.”
Ms Laird also told the court that the woman was left with a 2cm laceration, which had to be closed with glue.
Laird, who was on bail at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty to one charge of assault.
‘In his view he was attacked first’
Defence agent Alex Burn told the court that his client had been out with friends when he was assaulted by the woman’s boyfriend.
“The complainer and her friend were shouting at him and he was repeatedly struck by a handbag – he got a black eye as a result of that.
“He accepts that he did punch her but in self-defence – he regrets it, but in his view, he was attacked first.
“He struck her once and did cause her to go to ARI.”
Sheriff Margaret Hodge pointed out to Laird that he already had a previous conviction for assault on his record, adding: “And now you’ve got another.”
She said: “Whatever your reasons for punching this person and however much you were provoked, punching someone on the head can result in them falling to the ground and they can die.
“It’s an incredibly foolish action.”
Sheriff Hodge fined Laird, of Ash-hill Drive, Aberdeen, a total of £380.
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