A man turned the tables on his neighbour and a friend when they turned up at his door armed with a crowbar and a brick and tried to goad him into a fight.
John Hall had previously had a disagreement with his neighbour, when the man, along with a friend, armed themselves and began banging on his door attempting to instigate a brawl.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told Hall, 23, desperately tried to keep the men out of his flat as they hammered on the door and his terrified partner was in “hysterics”.
When they eventually gave up and left, Hall gave chase, kicking his neighbour in the back before stamping on him as he lay unconscious on the landing.
Hall stamped on neighbour ‘at least six times’
Fiscal depute Rebecca Thompson told the court the men had had a “verbal altercation” during the afternoon of January 14, before Hall’s neighbour and a friend turned up at his door on Gort Road in Aberdeen at 8.55pm.
The neighbour “repeatedly banged on the door while in possession of a metal pole.
Ms Thompson said the men were “goading” Hall to come out and fight with them.
She said: “The accused remained within the property and did not exit at that time.”
‘He was absolutely terrified’
The banging and goading continued for around 10 minutes before the neighbour and friend started to make their way back down the communal stairs.
Hall then came out of his flat, approached his neighbour from behind and kicked him to the back, causing him to fall forward, hit his head on the wall and fall to the ground.
Ms Thompson said: “Thereafter, the accused vigorously stamped on his body at least six times and he appeared to be unconscious lying on the landing.”
Police were then alerted and the neighbour was found to have suffered a fractured cheekbone and nasal bone, a 3cm laceration to his head which needed stitches, as well as various other cuts and bruises.
Hall, of Gort Road, pled guilty to assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Defence agent Paul Barnett said his client had no previous conviction and lives at the address with his partner.
He told the court Hall denied that there had been a verbal argument prior to the offence, and that it was a “complete surprise” when the men turned up at his door.
‘Significant provocation’
The lawyer said that when Hall opened the door, the two men “lunged towards him” and that the neighbour’s friend had been in possession of a brick.
Mr Barnett said the men tried to “force entry” but Hall was able to keep the door sufficiently closed with his shoulder and foot.
He said: “His girlfriend was standing behind him screaming and hysterical. He was absolutely terrified.
“What then happens is the witnesses leave his door and Mr Hall, no doubt full of adrenaline, follows his neighbour down the stairs.”
The solicitor added Hall had shown “genuine remorse”, adding: “Any sort of violence is very much out of character for him.”
Sheriff Andrew Miller said: “I recognise the circumstances here are somewhat unusual in that it’s accepted that the person who you ultimately injured came to your door with a second man, both in possession of weapons.
“They both came to your door attempting to goad you to come out and fight with them.
“That behaviour continued for several minutes, during which you did not react and I’m sure, looking back, you wish you’d simply stayed in your flat and perhaps called the police.”
The sheriff said he took into account the “significant provocation” and ordered Hall to complete 120 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to prison.
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