A yob has been jailed for violently attacking an Aberdeen FC youth player in a robbery bid.
Kyle Cameron, 28, had gone to a car park in Fairlie Street, Aberdeen, to meet a drug dealer, intending to rob him.
By coincidence, Dons academy forward David Dangana was driving in the area – and Cameron mistakenly thought he was the drug dealer attending the meet up.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday heard that Cameron had punched Dangana on the head on August 9 last year, causing him injury.
Defence agent Mike Monro said: “Cameron accepts he went to the car park and became involved in violence. He accepts it was his hand that punched the complainant as the complainant was leaving the area.
“He has spent a considerable amount of time in custody and is seeking to reform himself.”
Cameron, whose address was given in court as HMP Grampian, admitted punching Dangana on the head to his injury with intent to rob him.
Sheriff Graeme Napier acknowledged Cameron had two previous convictions for violence and robbery – for 45 months and 32 months.
He added: “It was a case of mistaken identity.
“You accept that this is a serious assault on a young lad. It must have been extremely frightening for him.
“He said later that he was in fear of his life during this incident.
“The violence you used was gratuitous and you punched him as he was going away.
“It seems to me you present a danger to the public.”
Sheriff Napier said he would have jailed Cameron for 40 months, but reduced it to 36 months to reflect his guilty plea and then by another 10 months to reflect time served on remand.
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Cameron was jailed for 26 months and told he will be subjected to a 12-month supervised release order when he is released from custody.
Now 19, Dangana was just 18 when the assault took place.
He was on the bench for the first team’s 1-0 Premiership win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in April.