A man has admitted a vicious assault on an Aberdeen street that left his victim in a coma and requiring around-the-clock care.
Craig Hutchins, 31, carried out the brutal attack on Summer Street after being refused a cigarette.
Hutchins’ victim fell unconscious after being punched to the ground and hitting his head on the pavement.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told the man was in a coma for days as a result of the attack and now receives long-term treatment in a care home.
Sheriff Andrew Miller said Hutchins’ actions have had “devastating consequences”.
Fiscal depute Dylan Middleton told the court that at around noon on July 28 last year, the man and his friend were having a few drinks at nearby pub on Summer Street.
The pair went outside for a cigarette when they became aware of Hutchins walking along the street “shouting and making exaggerated hand gestures”.
One of the men was approached by Hutchins, who stated “give me a f****** fag” in an aggressive manner.
When the man told him to “p*** off”, Hutchins took up and fighting stance and began goading the men to fight.
“The accused threw a punch towards the first man and thereafter a physical altercation ensued, with all parties throwing punches,” Mr Middleton said.
“During the altercation, the accused then punched the first man twice to the head, causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head on the pavement.
Devastating injuries
“The accused then punched the second man twice to the head before seizing him by the front of his clothing causing him to be bent over whilst the accused punched and kicked him to the head.
“The second man then fell to the ground and the accused continued to kick him to the head.”
A passing witness observed the first man on the ground unconscious and called the emergency services.
He was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he fell into a coma and had to be intubated in the intensive care unit for days.
The man underwent surgery to relieve a significant bleed on the brain and three weeks after the assault he still required to be fed by a tube and could not breathe independently.
Following his release from hospital, he had to relearn to speak and had to move into a care home away from his family in order to receive long-term treatment.
He still suffers memory issues and confusion and is deemed “a person with incapacity”.
The man is unable to walk and will require around-the-clock care for the rest of his life, the court was told.
Appearing in the dock, Hutchins admitted one charge of assault to injury and a second charge of assault to severe injury, permanent impairment and danger to life.
Defence solicitor Debbie Ginniver told the court that the incident had been captured on CCTV and that it had been shown to Hutchins, who currently resides in the State Hospital in Carstairs.
“I have shown this to Mr Hutchins and his position remains that he was not the first one to throw a punch, but that’s not in line with what the CCTV shows,” she said.
“He was suffering from mental health issues at the time and he was using alcohol and substances to deal with those.”
Sheriff Miller told Hutchins that he had pled guilty to two “serious offences”.
He added: “I recognise the devastating consequences for one of the victims and his family.
“The court is fully cognisant of the serious nature of these offences.”
However, the sheriff deferred sentence on Hutchins until January next year for a further psychiatric assessment to be carried out.
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