A man launched into a nasty attack on two women after “taking offence” at their small talk.
David Youngson landed punches on both his victims, who managed to shove him down a flight of stairs.
Fiscal depute Eabha Sweeney told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the violent outbursts came at about 5am on December 18 2021 after the first female arrived at the property in Fowler Avenue to see her friend.
She found Youngson, 36, there with another male and it was after she greeted him that the attack began.
Punched woman three times in face
“He was known to her,” the fiscal said. “She engaged in small talk with him and asked ‘what’s up?’ The accused took offence to this and began shouting and swearing at her.
“He then punched her to the left side of the face three times.
“She tried to get away from him when he grabbed her clothing and pushed her into a window. She then pushed him away in fear, causing him to fall down the stairs.”
Youngson was told to leave by the other woman, who stood in the doorway preventing his re-entry. After punching her in the face he eventually left.
Both victims were left with cuts on their faces and Youngson’s response to police upon being cautioned and charged was that it “never happened”.
He pled guilty to two charges of assault to injury and a not guilty plea was accepted to a third identical charge against a different woman.
Defence agent Jenny Logan said Youngson’s “gut had essentially stopped working” at the time and his physical health was suffering.
‘He has turned his life around’
“He had also recently lost a close friend,” she said. “He was drinking too much with the medication and it led to him being unaware of his situation.
“He doesn’t shy away from his actions. He is no longer taking drugs and alcohol and hopes to resume working. He has turned his life around and bought a van.”
He won’t be driving that van himself, though, given he was handed a lifetime driving ban for “using his car as a weapon” and in part of a string of crimes.
Sheriff Margaret Hodge fined Youngson, of Great Northern Road, Aberdeen, £320 and gave him a one-year supervision order.
She told him: “It appears you assaulted people that you know for no reason. Though I understand there was a background to your actions on that day, you really had no reason to assault those people.”
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