A boss at an Aberdeen city centre restaurant brutally kicked and stamped on a colleague when she challenged him for smoking indoors.
Christopher Murray, 29, who had been a manager at Granite Park in Golden Square, assaulted his colleague after they had both stayed on at the bar drinking after finishing their shifts on July 29.
In the early hours of the next morning, a row over a cigarette sparked the shocking attack.
Depute fiscal Lucy Simpson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “At 2.30am the complainer left the bar area to have a cigarette outside.
“She returned inside and observed the accused to be smoking his own cigarette within the locus.
“She told him to stop smoking inside. The accused became very aggressive with the complainer at that point. He punched the complainer twice to the face.”
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The court was shown CCTV footage from just outside the restaurant at around 5am which showed the assault continuing.
She added CCTV in the bar showed Murray push the female to the ground and punch her, as well as “kicking out aggressively and knocking over a till”.
Ms Simpson added: “At one point the complainer tries to stand up and the accused is seen to stamp on her back, causing her to fall once more.
“The accused is also seen to place his foot on the complainer’s neck and apply pressure.
“He is subsequently seen to put his hand around her neck before standing up and either stamping or kicking on her stomach and head before leaving.”
Murray’s victim was left with injuries which required stitches.
He pled guilty to assault to severe injury.
Defence agent John Ferrie asked for sentence to be deferred for a restriction of liberty order assessment and reserved mitigation for the next calling of the case.
Sheriff Ian Wallace told Murray, of Morrison Place, Cruden Bay, that sentence would be deferred until next month, but warned: “Clearly it’s a matter where the court will be considering custody.”
Forbes Innes, director of Granite Park, said Murray was dismissed following the incident and the woman resigned shortly after.
He said: “This has had a massive effect on us because they were two long-standing employees who we trusted.
“We’re shocked this happened, absolutely gobsmacked.”
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