A kebab shop worker has been fired after he brutally attacked another man while on shift leaving his victim with a broken nose and teeth.
Mehmet Balci was at Best Kebab in Keith when he repeatedly punched his victim and then continued to kick and stamp on him as he lay unconscious on the ground.
Other bystanders had to intervene to protect the unresponsive victim, whom Balci, 45, had fallen out with over their differing views on Turkish affairs, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Shay Treanor said Balci’s victim had been chatting with another member of staff at the Mid Street takeaway at around 4.30pm on February 10 last year when he crossed paths with Balci.
“Without provocation, he was attacked,” Mr Treanor said.
“The accused punched him repeatedly with a clenched fist to his face. This caused him to lose consciousness and fall to the ground. Other witnesses intervened to try and shield him from further attacks.”
Two broken teeth
However, despite their best efforts to protect the injured and blood-covered man, Balci was undeterred and used the kitchen counter to hold himself up as he repeatedly “kicked and stomped” on the fallen man’s face and body.
When police officers arrived they found the man on the floor with a broken nose and two broken teeth.
Balci was initially charged on indictment but pled guilty to an assault to serve injury charge at a trial diet once his case was reduced to summary level.
Defence agent Matthew O’Neill said his client had now lost his long-standing job in the kitchen at Best Kebabs and was now living in temporary council accommodation.
Fell out over home country affairs
He said Balci indicated a different set of circumstances to social workers, but now fully accepts his guilt.
“There was CCTV footage and it was quite extensive. I am not sure the court would even have time to watch it today given the length of the incident,” he said.
“Mr Balci and the complainer had been on friendly terms for a while as they are both Turkish nationals with a connection to the locus.”
He said the pair had fallen out of differing views of the political goings-on in Turkey that were well-documented in the news at the time.
Lost job over assault
“He accepts there was absolutely no justification or reason for him acting as he did,” Mr O’Neill added. “He no longer works there and is not allowed contact with the complainer.
“He has expressed his deep remorse to his employer. The loss of his job following this incident had a significant impact on him.”
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank handed Balci, of Cooperage Close, Elgin, an 18-month supervision order and 270 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to custody.
He told him: “This is a serious matter albeit now on a summary complaint. I am sentencing on the basis it was not a provoked assault and it was a serious assault.”
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