A drugged-up man slashed a friend from ear to mouth following a falling out.
Chae MacDonald’s victim required up to 50 stitches to close the horrifying gash as well as a metal rod inserted into his jaw during surgery.
The injured man was found wandering around the Lang Stracht following the brutal assault.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard there were differing accounts of the circumstances surrounding the slashing and who had instigated the incident.
Fiscal depute Brian Young said MacDonald, 30, and his victim, who he described as “associates”, had taken a taxi to MacDonald’s address on Borrowstone Road on February 7.
Around 8.45pm, the pair consumed drugs together in a bedroom at the property.
Knife found in drain after Aberdeen drug-fuelled assault
But a short time later, MacDonald became “irate” and began accusing the man, along with a third party who wasn’t present, of “ripping him off”.
Mr Young said: “The accused stated that if the complainer did not sort it out, he would ‘slash’ him.
“The complainer began texting the other person in a bid to calm the situation down and appease the accused, however, as he was texting, the accused struck the complainer once to the left side of his face with a silver Stanley knife.”
The man rushed to the bathroom where he realised he was bleeding heavily and used his jumper to apply pressure to the wound.
MacDonald told the injured man to leave, which he did, calling 999 for an ambulance as he walked onto the Lang Stracht.
Police traced the man on the Lang Stracht with a wound running “from his left ear down to his mouth”.
He initially told officers he “did not know who was responsible” and that he was “randomly attacked”.
However, the following morning in hospital, he changed his story and told officers what MacDonald had done.
He required surgery to close the wound, which was 3-4 inches in length.
Mr Young told the court: “During surgery, a rod was inserted to his mouth which was removed after one month. He further required 40-50 stitches to close the wound.”
He also suffered muscle damage, with his cheek remaining “numb”, causing difficulties when eating and drinking.
Officers arrested MacDonald at his home, but found no trace of the weapon.
It was later recovered from a drain on Hallfield Road, Aberdeen.
‘Significant’ difference in positions
Mr Young said: “It is understood that the accused’s position is that the complainer instigated the physical alteration by seizing hold of the accused by his neck and a struggle ensued during which the accused reacted by striking the complainer with a knife.
“Said position is clearly at odds with the complainer’s account as described.”
MacDonald, a prisoner of HMP Grampian, pled guilty to assault to severe injury, permanent impairment and permanent disfigurement.
Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt said: “There’s a difference between the position of the Crown and the accused’s position relative to the precursor to the assault.
“In my submission, it is both material and significant.”
Sheriff Graham Buchanan deferred sentence and fixed a proof of mitigation for July to resolve the issue.
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