A Christmas night out for bank staff ended in violence with a man severely injured and scarred for life.
Yesterday at Inverness Sheriff Court, 19-year-old Struan Mackenzie of Crawford Avenue, Avoch, admitted the attack on Thomas Stampfer on December 5 last year in Inverness’s Fraser Street.
He will be sentenced on November 7 after a background report has been prepared.
Fiscal Roderick Urquhart told Sheriff Margaret Neilson: “There was clearly an earlier incident about which the Crown does not know.
“Thomas Stampfer was one of a group of bank staff and financial advisers on a Christmas night.
“At about 3am the following morning, one of the women in the group noticed that Mr Stampfer had a squint nose and his eyes were watering.
“She concluded that Stampfer had been involved in an altercation and was dazed, suggesting that he come with her to the hospital, but he said he couldn’t leave his two male companions.
“CCTV then shows his two companions advancing on a group of perhaps half a dozen, including Mackenzie. Stampfer told the police that he had tried to calm the situation down. But the CCTV showed Stampfer advancing towards Mackenzie and strike him twice apparently with the heel of his palms.
“Mackenzie then punched Stampfer once on the head or face, causing him to fall backwards to the ground, striking his head on the kerb or roadway next to the kerb and being knocked unconscious.
“It cannot be said conclusively what followed, but it looks very much as if two others then assaulted Stampfer, one kicking him and one punching him while he was on the ground,” Mr Urquhart went on.
He added that two door stewards of nearby premises then restrained Mackenzie and handed him over to the police.
Mr Stampfer was taken to Raigmore Hospital where he was found to have facial fractures including a broken eye socket.
He required surgery and three metal plates were inserted below his eye, resulting in 19 days off work.
The court heard he was left with a surgical scar on his eyelid.
