A thug who hit an associate over the head with a metal crowbar was caught when police followed a trail of blood back to the crime scene.
Liam Thompson lashed out with the dangerous weapon during a drunken row with a friend he had been staying with.
A punch-up then ensued before the 26-year-old eventually left.
But when blood spatters were found nearby, police followed the trail back to the flat which was “in a state of disarray with blood staining throughout”.
Fiscal depute Dylan Middleton told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened in the early hours of July 10 at an address in Peacocks Court, Aberdeen.
He said the pair were drinking together until a “minor argument” at 5am after which the complainer went to his room.
Thompson claimed he was ‘covered in blood because he had fallen’
Several “minor disagreements” then followed whenever he passed through the living room and eventually he stated he was “done arguing”, went back to his bedroom and slammed the door.
Thompson then followed and stood in the doorway. Both men shouted at each other and the complainer tried to usher him out before pushing him as he felt intimidated.
Mr Middleton said: “As the complainer went to lie down on his bed, the accused hit him once to the top of his forehead with a metal object, later confirmed to be a small metal crowbar.
“The complainer punched the accused once to the face, after which the accused punched him a number of times to the right side of his face.”
The duo “grappled” before Thompson was eventually removed from the address.
A neighbour leaving her home around 7am then noticed blood stains on her front door and contacted the police.
Mr Middleton told the court: “Police attended and identified a blood trail leading to the locus.
“Officers entered and found the flat in a state of disarray with blood staining throughout.”
‘Significant record for crimes involving violence’
Thompson, who by this time had returned to the flat, was found sleeping on the living room sofa with dried blood on his face and clothing.
He claimed he was “covered in blood because he had fallen” but had no injuries to support this.
The bloodstained crowbar was also found in the living room.
Thompson’s victim had a one-inch laceration to his forehead which required six sutures to close and will leave a permanent scar.
Thompson, of HMP Perth, pled guilty to assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Sheriff Andrew Miller deferred sentence for reports and, highlighting his “significant record for crimes involving violence”, remanded him in custody.
Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt reserved mitigation for the sentencing hearing.
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