A pub-goer attacked a man for calling his girlfriend a “b****”, leaving him unconscious in a car park with a facial fracture.
Alistair Keates followed his victim following an exchange outside the Black Dog pub in Bridge of Don.
The pair ended up grappling in the car park between the bar and Peony House takeaway before Keates threw his victim to the ground, knocking him out cold.
The 30-year-old then made off, leaving his rival lying in the car park with a fracture to his face as well as a number of lacerations which had to be glued closed.
Fiscal depute Tom Procter told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “On the evening in question, the complainer had been drinking at another local establishment.
‘He challenges the complainer and, regrettably, matters escalate’
“His partner then joined him and they had gone to the Black Dog.
“They drank there for a significant amount of time.
“On leaving, the complainer stopped to speak to some people and made a parting comment to the group.”
The complainer and his partner then walked across the car park to the Peony House takeaway.
Mr Procter said: “A short time later, the accused entered and approached the complainer, stating the comment he’d made insulted his girlfriend before proceeding to punch him once to the right eye.”
The punch caused the lens of the man’s glasses to shatter and both parties walked outside to the car park.
The pair then “grappled” which each other and Keates threw the man to the ground, rendering him unconscious.
He then made off on foot.
Police and ambulance crews attended and Keates’ victim was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
He was found to have suffered a facial fracture and four lacerations to his face which had to be glued shut.
‘It isn’t acceptable to go about punching people’
Police later traced and arrested Keates.
Keates, of Beech Manor, Stoneywood, pled guilty to a charge of assault to severe injury.
Defence agent David Sutherland said: “My understanding is the complainer is drunk when he makes a remark to my client’s girlfriend, referring to her as a b****.
“He then places his hands on her.
“He challenges the complainer about that and, regrettably, matters escalate in the way my friend has described.”
Sheriff Shirley McKenna asked Mr Sutherland if he felt a possible compensation order would be appropriate.
The solicitor said: “It’s not given it’s the complainer who started the matter.”
The sheriff warned Keates: “It isn’t acceptable to go about punching people.”
She ordered him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
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