A claw hammer-wielding teenager attacked a gunman who turned up at his door in an Aberdeen high-rise.
David McKenzie, now 20, was just 18 when he set about the man after spotting the weapon, which eventually turned out to be a BB gun.
McKenzie’s victim was left with multiple scars to his head and still suffers nightmares about the attack.
The incident occurred after a planned “transaction” did not go to plan, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute David Ballock said that the complainer had picked up a female associate at 7pm on March 18 last year.
Shortly before midnight, he gave her a lift to Northsea Court in Seaton so she could meet McKenzie, who she also knew.
Teen struck him on the head and body with the hammer
He parked outside and she went into the building, emerging around half an hour later “looking upset, talking incoherently, and without her jacket that contained her mobile telephone and house keys”.
While discussing what to do, a male appeared at the building door and threw the woman her jacket.
However, her keys were still missing and she asked the complainer to go inside to retrieve them.
On reaching McKenzie’s flat, the man spoke to a number of males through the door. They all denied any knowledge of the keys.
Mr Ballock said: “The complainer repeatedly requested for the keys to be returned, said that he wasn’t leaving and if needed, he would phone the police.
“The front door of the property opened and four males were standing in front of him.
“The accused approached the complainer, wielding a metal claw hammer.
“There was an altercation, during which the accused punched the complainer on the head numerous times, then struck him on the head and body with the hammer which caused him to fall to the ground.
“The complainer attempted to curl into a ball to protect his head and body.”
Victim still suffers nightmares
Eventually, he managed to get to his feet and make his way to the lift and back down to his car.
Police were then contacted.
McKenzie’s victim was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he was found to have suffered:
- Numerous cuts to his head
- A 2.5cm laceration to the back of his head which had to be glued shut
- A 4cm laceration to the top right of his forehead which was closed with sutures
- A cut to the back of his left ear
He was given morphine and other pain medication.
The attack has left him with a number of scars which he says hurt during cold weather.
He still suffers nightmares due to the incident.
Meanwhile, McKenzie was traced and arrested, speaking freely in interview and advising police of the complainer carrying a gun.
McKenzie, now of Seaton Place East, Aberdeen, pled guilty to assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
‘He pulled out a gun so I just hit him with the hammer’
Defence agent Mike Monro said his client told police: “Obviously I hit him with this little hammer thing, a mini hammer.
“Basically, I just went outside with it to see what he was saying and he pulled out a gun so I just hit him with the hammer and basically had a fight with him.”
Turning to the circumstances surrounding the incident, Mr Monro said: “The accused had a friend who was a mutual friend of the female.
“The female arranged to meet this mutual friend in order to carry out a transaction.”
He explained the complainer drove the female to the block, she went inside but the transaction did not go to plan.
The solicitor said the woman ran from the flat, leaving her jacket and the male threw it outside to her.
‘It’s not every day of the week someone comes to your door with a gun’
But the complainer then approached the flat, banging on the door and shouting.
Addressing his client’s reaction to the situation, Mr Monro said: “It’s not every day of the week someone comes to your door with a gun.”
He noted that self-defence was not open to McKenzie due to striking the complainer multiple times when he had other options available to him.
Sheriff Andrew Miller handed McKenzie 180 hours of unpaid work and 12 months of supervision as a direct alternative to custody.
He added: “The impact of the provocation element in this case is significant.
“But for that, it’s very likely a custodial sentence would have been imposed.”
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