A man has been found guilty of a one-punch killing outside a city centre pub almost two years ago following a five-day trial in Aberdeen.
Derek Pearson killed Steven Johnson with a single blow after the father-of-seven fell and hit his head on the pavement on Carmelite Lane on March 12, 2023.
A jury of nine women and six men took three and a half hours to find 47-year-old Pearson guilty by majority of culpable homicide.
Pearson’s bail was revoked, and he was placed on remand until his sentencing hearing next month.
Family cheers at verdict
The family of victim Steven Johnson cheered as the verdict was delivered with some reacting so loudly, they were asked to leave the court.
Speaking outside, Mr Johnson’s twin sister Sheila Cook, 51, said she was hugely relieved and thought “justice had been served”.
Pearson was also convicted of assaulting his ex-partner Kathleen Cunningham on the same evening by punching her on her head, seizing hold of her and pulling her to the ground, and straddling her while she was on the ground and holding her by the neck.
The jury found Pearson unanimously guilty of this domestic-assault charge.
Led away to custody
Pearson, whose address was given as Newton Road, Middlefield Aberdeen, sat unmoved as the verdict was delivered.
He turned only briefly while being led away in custody to smile at his family in the public gallery.
Mr Johnson’s friends and family reacted loudly during the jury’s verdict delivery – so much so the Judge Graham Buchanan asked for it to be repeated after some of them were taken out of the court room.
Judge Buchanan deferred sentencing on Pearson and asked for background reports to be completed, but said custody was “inevitable”.
He said that, because the jury did not “add the rider” that the crime was committed under provocation, “that would indicate the inevitability of a custodial sentence will be imposed”.
Guilty of culpable homicide
He spoke directly to Pearson and said: “You have been convicted of a serious charge of culpable homicide.
“The jury concluded that no element of provocation was involved and what you did in so far as the assault on Steven Johnson is concerned.
“In these circumstances, the inevitability is that, in due course, a significant sentence of imprisonment will be imposed.”
Judge Buchanan deferred sentencing to April 3, at Aberdeen High Court and placed Pearson on remand in the meantime.
‘My brother died a hero’
Speaking outside court, Steven Johnson’s twin sister Sheila Cook, 51, said her brother had “died a hero”.
“The night it happened was the day before our fiftieth birthday,” Mrs Cook explained.
She added: “I just wish I had come up to celebrate it with him now, as if I had he wouldn’t have been in that pub.
“He was just out celebrating his birthday and got speaking to this woman.
“I know he wouldn’t have got involved if he’d known she was seeing someone else.
“To me, it looks like he was sticking up for her, and in my eyes, he died a hero.
“I flew up from England as soon as I heard he was in hospital, and I was at his bedside when he died the following day.
“He was all about his kids – he loved them to bits.
“I’m so happy with the verdict and feel we can now get some closure as a family – justice has been served.”
Night out ended in tragedy
Pearson had been out drinking in the Scottish Embassy bar on corner of Carmelite Lane alongside his former partner Kathleen Cunningham on the evening of March 12, 2023.
The court heard how he flew into a jealous rage as he watched Ms Cunningham chat with Steven Johnson during the night and followed them outside into Carmelite Lane.
Pearson pinned Mr Johnson against a wall outside and struggled with him – it was during this struggle that he punched Mr Johnson on the head, causing him to fall to the ground.
CCTV footage was played to the jury during the trial which showed the street assault.
The footage showed that, as Mr Johnson and Ms Cunningham chatted intimately in front of her former partner Derek Pearson, things became heated within the bar and the pair left at around 10:45pm.
The pair were followed 52 seconds later by Pearson.
Eyewitnesses to assault
Eyewitnesses from flats nearby gave evidence to say Mr Johnson had lain unconscious on the ground following a scuffle and the single blow inflicted by Pearson.
He later died from his injuries on March 14, 2023, at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Pearson gave evidence during the trial and claimed he had acted in self-defence, however the jury decided otherwise.
In a joint statement from Steven’s immediate family, they said: “We are over the moon. It’s the best outcome; justice has been served.
“However, by pleading not guilty – instead of taking responsibility for his actions – Pearson put us through the ordeal of a traumatising trial.
“Whatever Pearson’s punishment will be, it will never come close to feeling nearly as severe as the life sentence he has forced upon us.”
‘Shocking attack’
After the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Jamie Sherlock said: “Steven Johnson was the victim of a shocking and unprovoked attack.
“This senseless violence had tragic consequences and our thoughts remain with Steven’s family and friends who have also suffered immensely because of Pearson’s vicious actions.
“We hope that this result will be of some comfort to them.
“Thankfully, crimes like these are rare in our communities.
“When such incidents occur we will use all resources necessary to carry out a rigorous investigation and ensure we track down those responsible and bring them to justice as soon as possible.”