A teen attacker who fractured his victim’s skull with a wrench has been handed unpaid work – despite openly admitting he “would become violent” if given the punishment.
Lewis Wood was just 17 when he put on a balaclava and struck the man on the head with the metal weapon before telling his unconscious victim: “Ha ha – I knocked you clean cold.”
Wood – who the court was told has “a predilection to violence” and has been treated in Cornhill for psychotic episodes – told social workers that he would be “unwilling” to do unpaid work and “will fight” if ordered to comply.
Sheriff Lesley Johnstone sentenced Wood to 270 hours of unpaid work this week and imposed a curfew “due to the serious nature of the offence”.
Street fight involving gang
Last month, sentence was deferred by Sheriff Graham Buchanan as he called for more reports into the “extremely disturbing” case.
Sheriff Buchanan asked for a specialist psychological report after hearing of Wood’s unwillingness to comply with unpaid work and referred to his attitude as “just bizarre”.
Wood pled guilty to striking a man on the head with a metal wrench “causing him to fall to the ground and lose consciousness to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life” and of possessing a weapon.
The attack took place on September 3 2023, in the Mastrick area of Aberdeen.
Previously, fiscal Kirsty Martin told the court that Wood and the victim were known to each other and had a previous argument a few days before the incident.
She explained that the victim had gone to the Mastrick shops at around 8pm armed with a golf club “in anticipation” of Wood being there.
“The complainer engaged with a group of young males before making off towards the direction of New Park Place,” Ms Martin said.
Victim suffered a bleed on the brain
“A short time later, [Wood] left his house with the other young males, all of them wearing balaclavas.
“[Wood] was also in possession of a metal wrench. One of the other young males was in possession of a golf club.”
Wood and his friends ran towards New Park Place and “an altercation ensued”.
Eyewitnesses said that only Wood and the victim eventually remained on the street shouting at each other, the others having walked off.
Ms Martin said: “[Wood] then approached the complainer and forcefully swung the metal wrench towards him, striking him on the head.
“The complainer immediately fell to the ground and was rendered unconscious.
“[Wood] stood over him and was heard to repeatedly shout remarks similar to “ha ha, knocked you clean cold” and “I told you I would do it’ – before running away.”
Residents rushed to help the victim, who was taken to hospital for treatment and kept in for two days.
He suffered a bleed on the brain, a fractured skull, multiple facial fractures and a cut to his ear which required stitches.
Sheriff voices concerns about violent past
Wood appeared before Sheriff Graham Buchanan last month and additional reports were requested.
Sheriff Buchanan voiced concern that Wood’s criminal record from before he turned 16 had not been disclosed and made mention of his “truculent attitude and predilection to violence”.
He said: “There are plainly deep-seated issues and he may one day find himself in the High Court facing extremely serious charges.
“The report referred to other incidents and that he has boasted about a similar incident.
“He does not accept responsibility and he tells the author of the report when his family are threatened, he is the protector.
“The report speaks of undiagnosed oppositional defiance disorder and he has attended Cornhill with psychotic episodes.
Violent teen smirking in the dock
“It is an extremely disturbing case,” Sheriff Buchanan added.
“He is sitting there smirking.
“The report says he has an unwillingness to comply with unpaid work and that if he goes there, he will fight.
“He knows he would engage with individuals there and would become violent. There is a very serious issue in the background.
“His whole attitude is just bizarre.”
Sheriff Buchanan asked for a specialist psychological report and deferred to this week.
Wood’s defence solicitor Alex Burn said his client was still being diagnosed fully but has an anti-social personality disorder and “does not easily conform to social morals”.
Mr Burn went on to say his client had no other cases outstanding since this incident and had previously said: “He is a young man with a lot of difficulties.
“He was 17 at the time and had been at a BBQ with friends. He became concerned about his sister – it was self-defence that went beyond.”
Victim ‘could have died’
As the case recalled this week, Sheriff Lesley Johnstone said the incident was a serious violent attack which had rendered the victim unconscious.
She added: “The complainer could have died such was the seriousness of the offence and you could have been facing a much more serious charge.
“I accept you acted impulsively after threats of violence from the complainer.”
As a direct alternative to custody, she sentenced Wood to 270 hours of unpaid work and “due to the serious nature of the offence” also placed him under a curfew for 10 months.
Wood, of Arnage Drive, Aberdeen, must remain at his home address between the hours of 7pm and 7am daily.
Sheriff Johnstone warned: “If you breach this order, it is likely you will receive a period of custody in its place.”