A joiner has been ordered to pay compensation after he attacked and punched a man in Aberdeen who was later diagnosed with epilepsy.
Aaron Sheran, 23, was out drinking with friends in the centre of the city when a fight started on Justice Mill Lane involving half a dozen people.
Seeing his friend involved in the struggle, Sheran stormed in and punched one man, who fell to the ground with a bloodied face.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard the man refused medical attention at the time but went to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary the next day where it was found he had a fractured cheekbone.
Sheran’s victim was later diagnosed with epilepsy and is undergoing treatment for it.
Fiscal depute Ryan Diamond told the court that during the evening of June 25 last year Sheran and his victim were out with separate groups of friends at bars in Aberdeen city centre.
He added that at around 11.30pm a physical altercation took place between the complainer’s friend and an unidentified male on Justice Mill Lane.
“The complainer formed the view that his friend had gotten the wrong idea about what was going on and had intervened,” Mr Diamond said.
“At which point, the accused punched the complainer to his right cheekbone, causing him to fall to the ground – with his cheekbone bleeding as a result of being struck.”
When the injured man attended ARI the following day, it was determined he had a fractured cheekbone as well as a number of broken bones around his eye.
Mr Diamond said that since the incident the man has been diagnosed with epilepsy and is currently undergoing treatment by medical professionals.
Sheran, who works as a part-time joiner, admitted to one charge of assault that resulted in severe injury.
Defence agent Graham Morrison told the court the fight was captured on CCTV which showed a “number of people punching and pushing”, including a friend of Sheran’s who was there that night.
“It was the complainer who said something to him that ends up with him being flat on the ground,” he said.
“Mr Sheran and the complainer then end up nose-to-nose and he sees his friend hitting the deck and he goes over to strike the complainer.
“He is quite aware of the damage he has done here.”
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told Sheran: “I hope you realise now that if you strike someone on the head or face the results can be extremely serious – people can suffer brain injuries and worse.”
Sheriff Hodge fined Sheran, of Paradise Road, Kemnay, a total of £600 and ordered him to pay £400 compensation to his victim.
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