Two men who assaulted a pair of fellow clubbers outside an Aberdeen nightclub have been handed unpaid work for their part in the “melee”, which saw one of their victims kicked unconscious.
Alexander Henderson, 21, repeatedly kicked and punched another man until he passed out on the ground during the assault outside Underground nightclub on Bridge Street.
When the victim’s friend tried to intervene, Craig Dawson, 21, got involved and punched that man to the head, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
The incidents were caught on CCTV, which was shown to the men ahead of their appearance in the dock.
Fiscal depute Stephanie Cardow said the incident happened at around 3am on August 6 last year as the friends, who had been out drinking in the city centre, left the city centre club.
She said they crossed the road, which was busy with other revellers at the time, when the first man felt someone trying to grab his cap from his head.
The man stated to Henderson: “Wise up. What are you playing at?” only for his attacker to punch him to the left cheek.
Henderson’s victim stumbled but managed to block a follow-up punch before three other blows were rained down on him, as well as kicks to the body and head.
Knocked out and left injured
He believed he was knocked unconscious in the attack, the fiscal said.
“He suffered a fractured left cheekbone, general swelling to the face, a black eye, a burst blood vessel and general pain around the head,” she added.
When the man’s friend stepped in and tried to break it up Dawson punched him in the face.
Dawson’s defence agent Chris Maitland said his client was drunk at the time but should not have got involved.
“He apologises for that and accepts responsibility,” he added.
‘There was a melee going on’
Graham Morrison, representing Henderson, said his client, a pizza shop manager, was “well aware he is in much deeper water here”.
He said he watched CCTV footage of the incident with him and said Henderson appeared “shocked by his behaviour” once he became fully aware of what he had done.
“There was a group of 20-30 people standing around on Bridge Street,” he added. “There was a melee going on. More than just words were exchanged.”
The solicitor said the punches were exchanged.
Dawson admitted an assault to injury charge and Henderson pled guilty to assault to severe injury.
‘Deplorable behaviour’
Sheriff Graham Buchanan told both men he had to take into account the sentencing guidelines in place for young people, otherwise custody would be a consideration.
He told Dawson, of Arbroath Way, Aberdeen, that his behaviour was “deplorable” and handed him 120 hours of work.
Henderson, of Great Northern Road, Aberdeen, was told his charge was more serious as it “involved kicking and punching” and ordered him to carry out 180 hours.
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