Two people have gone on trial accused of assaulting a young Dons player and attempting to rob him at knifepoint.
Shaun Stewart – known as Paton – 33, and Lana Smart, 30, are alleged to have targeted David Dangana as he sat in his car near his home, on the city’s Fairlie Street, on August 9 last year.
It is alleged both Stewart and Smart repeatedly struck the window of Mr Dangana’s car causing the window to smash, repeatedly punched him on the head, brandished a knife and threatened him with violence.
Stewart is further accused of being in possession of a bladed item and resisting or obstructing police officers by refusing to provide DNA, fingerprints or photographs at the station on Great Northern Road on August 16.
Mr Dangana gave evidence on the opening day of the trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday and said he was “terrified” during the alleged assault.
Depute Fiscal Sally McCauley asked the 19-year-old about the circumstances leading up to the incident.
He said he had just finished training, returned home and had been napping for a couple of hours.
He said he then drove his white Vauxhall Corsa to the nearby shops which took around 20 seconds.
Miss McCauley asked what happened on the return journey and he said he stopped after being flagged down by a woman.
He said she asked him “where is it?” and assumed she was referring to drugs.
He said he left feeling “confused” by it and said he was hoping to drive off but could not after claiming a man pulled out a knife.
Miss McCauley asked if he drove off and he said: “No, a guy pulled out a knife.
“It was a long, pink knife like a long kitchen knife.”
Miss McCauley asked how he felt then and he said: “Terrified.”
Mr Dangana said the man turned the blade around and used the handle to smash his car window, with the shards of glass ending up all over the floor of the vehicle.
He said the knife was then turned towards him.
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Mr Dangana said: “He had it in my face. It was a couple of centimetres away from me.”
The jury heard the man went home and asked his father to call the police and they went to the police station in the nearby Manor Park primary school.
It was on the way to the station that he saw the group standing next to another vehicle before they disappeared into flats.
During cross examination, Ian Houston, defence, asked Mr Dangana why he thought the woman was referring to drugs.
Mr Dangana said: “When she checked my phone I thought she was looking for messages about drugs.”
Mr Houston asked: “So it might have been a case of mistaken identity?”
He replied: “Yes.”
Paton and Smart deny the charges against them.
The trial continues.
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