A thug high-fived his friend in celebration after carrying out a brutal attack on a stranger outside a takeaway in Aberdeen city centre.
Gary Stewart’s action’s left his victim, Christopher McCormick, bloodied and concussed and in need of surgery to repair damage to his face.
The city’s sheriff court was told yesterday that Mr McCormick also suffered psychological damage that remains with him to this day, causing anxiety and nightmares.
Stewart, meanwhile, was found to have sent messages to friends’ mobile phones boasting about the assault.
The 28-year-old was with friends when he left a nightclub on the city’s Langstane Place on September 4 last year when he came across Mr McCormick.
He was with two friends but became separated as they ordered food from a takeaway.
Moments later he found himself involved in an altercation with Stewart.
The court heard that one of Mr McCormick’s friends had stepped into the street to find him on the ground, covered in blood, and Stewart high-fiving with a friend before leaving the scene.
Mr McCormick was taken to hospital in a semi-conscious state. He required surgery on his cheek.
Stewart was later identified and detained by police.
He told officers he had lost his mobile phone but when they asked his parents about this his father handed it over to them and Stewart grudgingly provided the code to unlock it.
The reason for his lie soon became clear as messages were discovered on Whatsapp in which he boasted of “punching someone.”
Stewart confessed to the assault yesterday.
Fiscal depute Lixia Sun told the court: “Since the incident Mr McCormick has attended his GP on several occasions.
“He has taken medication to relieve dizziness and pain.
“He can’t cope with confrontation and reported to his GP he was having anxiety and nightmares about the incident.”
Sheriff William Summers deferred sentence on Stewart, of Usan Ness in Aberdeen, in order to obtain reports.
He will return to court next month.
