A reveller who left a former schoolmate unconscious on the floor of a nightclub has been ordered to pay his victim compensation.
David Johnston floored his old acquaintance with one punch during a fallout in Purple nightclub in Buckie as shocked onlookers were left trying to rouse the man and call for an ambulance.
The pair had bumped into each other in various pubs on December 10 last year but words were exchanged later in the club, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Karen Poke said Johnston’s victim had been out with his wife in various pubs where he had bumped into his former schoolmate without incident.
But after his wife went home and he and Johnston, 34, both went on to the Cluny Square club things turned violent.
Other clubbers tried to rouse victim
Ms Poke said: “At 11.30pm they were in the hallway near to the pay desk and at this time the accused punched the complainer once to the face causing him to fall to the ground.
“This was captured on CCTV. As a result of the assault, the complainer lay unresponsive for a number of minutes.
“Two female witnesses saw him lying unconscious on the floor and tried to rouse him. This had no effect and police and ambulance crews were contacted.”
Hospital treatment needed
The victim’s wife was contacted over social media and told what had happened and her husband was taken to hospital.
“He sustained a broken tooth at the rear left of his mouth as a result of the assault,” the fiscal added. “The accused was later traced and taken to the police station.”
Johnston, a father of two, admitted a charge of assault to injury.
His defence agent Stephen Carty said: “The situation here is that Mr Johnston and the accused went to school together and were childhood friends.
“On this particular evening, they came across each other early on and there was no difficulty.
“It was not until they arrived at the club that words were exchanged between them. Mr Johnston is not aware of what those words were but they were enough for him to throw this punch.
“He has always accepted that punch was thrown by him. He has something of a record but no previous convictions for violence so this offence is somewhat out-of-character for Mr Johnston.”
The solicitor added that Johnston works full-time and his partner is due another baby imminently.
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov handed Johnston, of Seafield Street, Cullen, 135 hours of unpaid work, 12 months of supervision and a £500 compensation order, as a direct alternative to custody.
For all the latest court cases in Elgin, as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our new Facebook group.
