An Aberdeen man left his 86-year-old father-in-law in hospital with a fractured cheek after the pensioner criticised his dinner.
Gerard Cunningham rained punches down on his wife’s elderly father after the three of them had shared dinner together at their home on Woodcroft Avenue in Aberdeen.
The violence was sparked when the 86-year-old made a comment about the meal and a heated argument broke out.
It quickly exploded into violence and Cunningham, 71, repeatedly punched his father-in-law in the face.
Fiscal depute Ann Mann told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 6pm on August 15.
She said Cunningham, 71, had consumed alcohol but “did not appear to be drunk”.
Broken cheekbone
She went on: “After dinner, there had been a disagreement between the accused and his father-in-law.
“Following this, the accused repeatedly punched the complainer to the head within the living room.”
Cunningham’s wife intervened and the police were contacted.
Officers attended and arrested Cunningham while an ambulance rushed his relative to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
He was found to have suffered a fracture to his right cheekbone and a cut above his right eyebrow.
Cunningham, of Woodcroft Avenue, Aberdeen, pled guilty to assault to severe injury.
Defence agent Neil McRobert said his client appeared with no previous convictions.
He passed a letter to the sheriff which explained in detail the background to the offence.
‘Absolutely mortified’ to appear in court
Summing up, Mr McRobert said: “There had been some tension.
“After dinner, comments were made by the complainer about the dinner and that led to a verbal exchange.
“It’s the accused’s position that the complainer struck out first and what he has pled guilty to is his response to that.”
The solicitor said it was Cunningham himself who phoned the police as he “realised what he had done was completely unacceptable”.
He added: “He deeply regrets the conduct. It’s an understatement to say Mr Cunningham is absolutely mortified to appear in court.”
Sheriff Kevin Duffy pointed out it was “highly unusual” for someone to appear in court for the first time at the age of 71 for such an offence.
He said: “You recognise your behaviour was completely unacceptable whether you felt you were provoked or not, or whether you felt your father-in-law started it.”
He fined him £640.
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