Two police officers have gone on trial accused of attempting to hide evidence following a brawl in a north-east village.
Darren Guild and Martin Coyle were both investigated following an alleged assault in Strichen two years ago.
It is claimed 28-year-old Guild attacked Peterhead man James-Andrew Milne on August 8 last year, leaving him injured.
Prosecutors also allege the pair, who are both currently suspended from the force, then handed over different pairs of shoes to the ones they were wearing on the night in a bid to pervert the course of justice.
Coyle, 29, whose address was given as care of his solicitor’s George Mathers in Aberdeen, is also accused of washing a shirt he had been wearing before presenting it to colleagues.
The pair deny the allegations against them and Guild issued a special defence of self defence when they appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court yesterday.
Taking to the witness stand on the first day of the trial, Mr Milne told the court he had been attacked after leaving the Mormond Inn pub in Strichen.
He said Guild had chased him into Brewery Road where he was “kicked and punched” all over his “body, face and head”.
Mr Milne said he was injured with a bleeding mouth and nose and bruising on his back.
He said: “He was leaning over me trying to get my phone out of my hand as well. He prised it out of my hands.”
But during cross examination Coyle’s solicitor, George Mathers, put it to Mr Milne that he was simply trying to “bring trouble” to the pair’s door.
He said Mr Milne, who had been involved in a previous altercation with Guild weeks prior to the incident in Strichen, was a “repeat criminal” who “hated” police.
The court heard during the course of his work within Peterhead Guild, of West Road, Fraserburgh, had told Mr Milne to move away from a scene.
“You resented that,” Mr Mathers said.
“You felt a sense of injustice. A feeling that it just wasn’t fair.
“You were clearly looking for trouble that night. It’s blindingly obvious, isn’t it, that you despise the police? You are out to get him.
“You knew perfectly well they were police. And you must agree that you bore huge resentment towards Darren for telling you to move on a couple weeks before. You were aggressive, menacing and unpredictable.”
Responding to his allegations, Mr Milne said they were untrue.
The trial will continue in June.
