A senior Aberdeen City Council architect who chased a terrified child with a meat cleaver has been slammed by a sheriff after choosing to go on holiday rather than meet with court officials.
Colin Doig – who is the authority’s New Housing Manager – has been warned he faces being locked up after he admitted pursuing the child and carrying out a serious assault on his wife during a wine-fuelled rampage.
Doig’s wife was left with a serious ankle injury which required to have eight pins and a metal plate inserted in her leg as a result of his drunken attack.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how the 57-year-old went on a four-day holiday instead of meeting social workers to have pre-sentence reports prepared.
Sheriff Paul Brown criticised the council worker, saying: “The way it is coming across is that he is taking a pretty cavalier approach to this matter.
“He’s staying at a different address from the one he gave and he has gone on holiday when there is a report to be done.
“We have had a social worker inconvenienced and the court inconvenienced because he has gone on holiday. If you are not available for reports, one of the sanctions the court has is to remand you in custody.”
Architect drank ‘most of’ three bottles of wine
Solicitor Gary McIlravey, defending, said Doig had booked a four-day break several months earlier and had not wanted to show “wilful disregard” for the court.
Aberdeen City Council senior architect Doig, from Broughty Ferry, pursued the child and injured his wife at an address in Dundee on 20 November 2022.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how the teenager, who cannot be identified, later told police he was in fear for his life while being chased by Doig.
Doig previously served as the president of Dundee’s Institute of Architects and was the sole director of Dunard Design until 2018.
It was revealed Doig had “drunk most” of three bottles of wine he and his wife had shared on the night and carried on drinking when she went to bed at 9.30pm.
Chased child with meat cleaver
Sometime later, Doig became involved in an argument with a child and went to his kitchen to arm himself with a meat cleaver.
Fiscal depute Joanne Ritchie said: “The accused picked up a meat cleaver from the knife block on the kitchen counter and started chasing (the complainer) around the kitchen island with the meat cleaver in his possession.
“The child was in fear of what the accused might do and locked himself in the upstairs bathroom. The accused placed the knife down and pursued him up the stairs.
“The accused’s wife was awoken by the noise and exited into the hallway.”
Doig repeatedly punched and kicked the door while shouting and swearing.
The court heard he banged the door so hard it cracked and caused his own hand to bleed. His wife tried to pull Doig back, but he pushed her on the chest, causing her to fall backwards.
Accused claimed self-defence
Ms Ritchie added: “His wife got back up and as soon as she was on her feet, he pushed her over again, this time causing her to injure her ankle, which caused her significant pain.
“This was overheard by the child who was against the door and could hear the woman falling and screaming. The accused headed to the bathroom. At this point, the child opened the door.
“The woman contacted the police as she was frightened by the accused’s actions and what he might do.”
Doig waited outside the property for police, who found him visibly under the influence of alcohol.
After being arrested, Doig said: “It was self-defence.”
Sentence deferred again
The woman declined to be seen by paramedics and said she would attend at Ninewells Hospital in the morning. Eight pins and a plate were put into her ankle during surgery.
She was off work for several weeks but by March 2024 had made a full recovery.
Doig, of Broughty Ferry, pled guilty to acting aggressively by pursuing the child with a meat cleaver, repeatedly punching and kicking a door and shouting and screaming.
He also admitted repeatedly pushing his wife on the body, causing her to fall to the floor and inflicting severe injury upon her.
Sheriff Paul Brown deferred sentence a second time for the social work report to be prepared and Doig’s bail was continued.