A man punched a fellow reveller so hard he suffered a bleed on the brain – because he mistook him for a police officer.
Dekan Toffik attacked Liam McGarry outside McDonalds on Union Street earlier this year.
He punched his victim, causing him to hit his head on the fast food restaurant’s door as he fell to the ground.
Mr McGarry spent five days in hospital after suffering a bleed on the brain. He was also left with a fractured jaw and suffering from seizures.
Yesterday, 25-year-old Toffik admitted the assault when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
Fiscal depute Kelly Mitchell said that Mr McGarry had been in the queue with work colleagues in the early hours of March 15.
She said that as he was waiting to be served, he was approached by Toffik who asked if he was a police officer.
Miss Mitchell said Mr McGarry told the accused that he did not want any trouble and went to stand outside.
However, he was closely followed by Toffik who punched him as they were standing outside the fast food chain.
Miss Mitchell added: “The accused punched the complainer to the face. He immediately fell to the ground and hit his head off the door. At that time another man heard the accused boasting about knocking out the complainer with one punch.”
Miss Mitchell said Toffik then ran across the road and tried to flee the scene by getting on a bus.
But he was not allowed to board and he ran off down Back Wynd.
The court heard officers, who had been monitoring CCTV footage of the scene, managed to detain and arrest him as he walked passed the Priory night club.
Miss Mitchell said that when he was being cautioned and charged he replied he had “fought all his life” and said if the Mr McGarry “could not take it, it was his fault”.
The court heard Mr McGarry was not a police officer.
Sheriff William Summers deferred sentence on Toffik, of 69 Pennan Road, Aberdeen, for background reports to be carried out. He will return to court later this month.