Two men who viciously attacked an Aberdeen man in his own home have been told a prison sentence is “inevitable”.
Cameron Burnside, 23, and Liam Thompson, 22, targeted the man after he woke up to discover the duo smoking in the bedroom of his Peacocks Court home.
Burnside and Thompson admitted repeatedly punching and kicking their victim on the head, repeatedly seizing him by the neck and compressing it causing him to lose consciousness. They also held a knife against his throat.
The pair – whose addresses were given in court as HMP Grampian – appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday and pled guilty to assault.
Depute fiscal Lucy Simpson told the court Thompson and his victim met online and began exchanging messages.
She said Thompson told the man he was having issues at home and was subsequently invited to move in.
She said on May 12, the day of the attack, the flat owner discovered both of the accused smoking in the bedroom.
He asked them to leave and it was then that Burnside kicked and punched him.
Both attackers squeezed his neck and he fell unconscious.
Burnside produced a knife from the kitchen and Thompson held it to his neck.
The assault lasted 20 minutes and the court was told the complainer was terrified.
During the assault he lost consciousness at least once and suffered 21 separate injuries.
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Alex Burns, defence agent for Burnside, said he visited the property to speak to his friend and that the victim was “not happy” the pair had been smoking.
Ian Woodward-Nutt, defence agent for Thompson, said the flat owner had only suffered “small scratches” on his neck and his client “regrets” the attack.
Sheriff Morgan McLaughlin told Burnside and Thompson that custodial sentences were “inevitable” and deferred sentence until September 11 for criminal justice social work reports.
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