A serial violent attacker struck a man with a baseball bat and left him with permanent eye damage after being confronted for sending flirtatious messages.
David McAvoy was shown items in his partner’s inbox, which had been sent by Ross Clark and told her he would speak to Clark’s girlfriend about it.
He eventually caught up with Clark’s girlfriend on Johnston Gardens West in Peterculter shortly after midday on June 22 this year and told her about the messages.
She then became angry and vowed to confront Clark about it.
He subsequently arrived at the scene after getting off a bus at a nearby stop with his stepfather.
Along with his girlfriend, Clark demanded to see the messages in question, but quickly lost his temper and took a baseball bat and swung it at McAvoy.
The first attempt to strike him failed and missed his head, but caused him to fall onto the side of a bus.
The second swing collided with the left side of his face and blood was seen streaming from his head.
Clark then made a run for it and discarded the baseball bat, which had been snapped in half as a result of his actions, in a nearby hedge.
Mr McAvoy was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he was treated for two cuts to his face below and at the corner of his left eye.
Clark was detained by police shortly afterwards.
The 25-year-old confessed to the vicious assault during an appearance an Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday.
Fiscal depute Colin Neilson revealed the devastating impact of his actions on Mr McAvoy.
He said: “There will be permanent reduction in the overall vision in the left eye as a result.”
Representing Clark, defence agent Peter Shepherd said: “The injuries sustained were never intended.”
He added that his client, who was jailed for an assault in 2015, had always planned to accept responsibility for the attack.
Imposing a sentence, Sheriff Gary Aitken said: “You have a significant record for violence.
“If you hit someone in the face with a baseball bat, you are lucky you did not kill him.
“A custodial sentence is the only proper disposal of this case.”
He jailed the prisoner of HMP Grampian for two years.
