A man feared for his life as a former friend attacked him with a metal bar and “flamethrower”, a trial has heard.
Quincy De Gale, known as Bryce, is on trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court accused of a battering his friend at his flat on Berryden Road in the early hours of the morning.
The 49-year-old denies a charge of assaulting Michael Davidson to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement, said to have happened around 4.30am on June 8 last year.
On the first day of the trial, Mr Davidson, 44, told the court he was woken up by banging on his window and door in the middle of the night.
Under questioning from fiscal depute Rebecca Thompson, Mr Davidson said he opened the door and was immediately pushed to the floor by Bryce, who he had considered a friend until then.
‘I thought he was going to kill me’
The witness said Bryce then attacked him with a metal pole which may have been his walking stick.
Asked how many times he was struck, Mr Davidson said: “Several. I had bruises all over my body, head, body, legs.”
Mr Davidson said he was briefly knocked unconscious during the incident, in which he said Bryce also stamped on his head and body.
He described “screaming for help” and asking Bryce to stop as the alleged assault moved to the living room.
Mr Davidson added: “Quincy smashed my television and ripped down all my blinds. He just trashed my living room.”
Asked what happened next, Mr Davidson said he managed to get up and run through to the bedroom, but said he was followed by Bryce.
He went on: “He had a can of lighter fluid for lighters and sprayed that over me and he set me on fire.
“I ended up with bad burns to both my arms and my face.”
‘Covered head to toe in blood’
He added: “It was like a flamethrower. I thought he was going to kill me.
“It just exploded all over me.”
Mr Davidson told the court Bryce then left and he heard a commotion on the other side of the door as the police arrived.
Under cross-examination from defence agent Mike Monro, Mr Davidson said he had been “begging” Bryce to stop the assault when he sprayed the “lighter gas”.
Describing the alleged incident again, Mr Davidson said: “He sprayed it and then the canister was ignited and it was like a flamethrower.”
The solicitor clarified: “Your description is his holding the canister, his spraying the canister and igniting the gas when it comes out. Is that what you’re saying?”
Mr Davidson said: “Yes.”
Mr Monro showed Mr Davidson a Crown production which was a deodorant can.
Asked if he had mentioned the can to the police or seen Bryce with it, Mr Davidson said: “No.”
‘Subdural hematoma’
Mr Monro said: “If I was to suggest to you that Quincy Bryce did enter your flat in the early hours of that morning with your consent and there was a disagreement between you and, if anything happened to you, it was limited to him punching you and maybe hitting you with a metal pole or walking stick and that’s it.”
The witness replied: “No, it was a lot more than that.”
The court also heard from neighbours who spoke of hearing banging and screaming from the flat, and forensic scientists who analysed various blood stains throughout the property.
Detective Constable Barry Peden also gave evidence and spoke of finding Bryce leaving the flat and Mr Davidson “covered head to toe in blood” inside.
A joint minute of agreed evidence detailed a catalogue of injuries suffered by Mr Davidson.
It included:
- Left sided 5mm subdural hematoma
- Left forehead deep semi-circular wound, 4cm in length, which was washed, cleaned and closed with steri-strip and tissue glue
- Nasal bridge semi-circular wound, 2-3cms in length, which was washed, cleaned and closed with tissue glue
- Left ear lobe red, swollen and with blistering over ear lobe
- Left cheek two 2cm areas of 2nd degree burns
- Right horizontal ear lobe wound, 3cm in length, washed, cleaned and closed with steri-strip and tissue glue
- Swelling and bruising over mastoid area of right ear (behind the ear)
- Superficial abrasions over right lateral aspect of neck
- Right forearm, two stripes of possible traumatic petetchial from above wrist joint to below elbow joint, plus 1% total surface area of 2nd degree burn over mid forearm, managed and dressed by plastic team
- Left shoulder to humerus region 1 percent total body surface area, 2nd degree burns which were managed and dressed by plastic team
- Wrist and hand superficial abrasions
- Sustained singed scalp hair, eyebrows and nasal hairs
The trial, before Sheriff Ian Wallace and a jury of nine women and six men, continues.
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