Two friends have been told to expect a prison sentence after attacking a man in his own home.
Liam Thompson and Cameron Burnside left Slavomir Levanovic with 21 separate injuries, laughing as they staged their brutal assault in his city centre flat in Aberdeen.
Thompson, 22, had struck up a friendship with his 37-year-old victim via social media, and was temporarily staying with him at Peacocks Court.
During this time, Mr Levanovic would buy him food and cigarettes, and even cook him meals.
But on Saturday, May 11, Thompson said his friend, 23-year-old Burnside, would also be coming to stay – with his arrival ending in a violent altercation.
The two men appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday, admitting to different parts of the assault.
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson said Mr Levanovic had woken up at around 4am the following morning, and asked the pair to leave after discovering one of them smoking in a bedroom.
They then punched, kicked and choked him over a period of around 20 minutes – not speaking, but laughing throughout.
Mr Levanovic had one of his own kitchen knives held at his throat by Thompson.
He escaped by running out of the door and calling the police.
Miss Simpson said: “He had blood on his lips and the back of his t-shirt.
“He lost consciousness at least once when his neck was being compressed.
“He was found to have 21 separate injuries, with the majority bruising on his head and body.”
Burnside’s solicitor, Alex Burn, said his client was “not particularly proud” of the incident.
Ian Woodward-Nutt, who represented Thomson, said: “He deeply regrets allowing matters to get out of hand.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin said both men are facing “inevitable” jail time.
She deferred sentence until next month.
