A man smashed a Tennent’s pint glass over his friend’s head leaving him permanently scarred when the pair got into a fight over an offensive joke, a court has heard.
John-Peter Barnes appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted violently assaulting his friend with the lager glass.
The 24-year-old made a joke that offended his friend and when Barnes was challenged about it he pounced on his pal and smashed the glass over his head.
Barnes’ solicitor described the assault as “unfortunate” as the two men had been good friends prior to this incident.
Friend challenged John-Peter Barnes about joke
Fiscal depute Emma Petersen told the court that Barnes and his friend had been out in Inverurie on August 6 last year when they went back to a friend’s house to continue drinking and where other people joined them.
At around 5am, Barnes friend overheard him make a joke that he considered to be offensive and challenged him about it.
“The accused picked up a Tennent’s pint glass and stood up from the sofa and walked towards the complainer who was on another sofa,” Ms Petersen said.
She continued: “The accused lunged towards the complainer with the pint glass and struck him on the right side of his face, causing the glass to smash.
“It resulted in a cut above his right eye and cuts through his hairline.”
A struggle then ensued, during which Barnes suffered a number of facial injuries himself.
Barnes’ friend was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he was medically assessed and found to have sustained a two-centimetre laceration to his left eyebrow.
In the dock, Barnes pleaded guilty to one charge of assault to injury and permanent disfigurement.
‘Shame and embarrassment’ over pint glass assault on friend
His solicitor, Graham Morrison, told the court that his client “accepts full responsibility for what happened”.
“I think we can all agree that this was caused by alcohol,” he said.
“Everyone there had been drinking throughout the evening, Mr Barnes made a joke and it turns into a fight.
“It’s a very unfortunate incident as the two men were very good friends – but this has ended that relationship.
“Mr Barnes has expressed shame and embarrassment about what he has done.”
Sheriff Janys Scott told Barnes that she “wanted to be clear” that she was sentencing him for an assault that caused permanent disfigurement and the fact that he struck the first blow.
She made Barnes, of Meikle Wartle, Inverurie, subject to a community payback order that involves 180 hours of unpaid work.
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