A man has admitted a brutal assault at an Aberdeen wedding which saw the father of the bride rushed to hospital with “life-threatening” injuries.
Christopher Allison was a guest at the wedding in Dyce’s Marriott Hotel when he got involved in an altercation that left the man unconscious and with a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain.
Allison, who is the cousin of the bride, had been drinking heavily before exiting a room and telling a hotel employee to check on the bride’s dad because “he’s on the ground”.
The 48-year-old victim was then found unresponsive and had sustained a serious head injury, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Allison, 31, claimed he had “pushed” the man and “does not know what happened”.
His solicitor described the incident as having a “traumatic and significant” impact on the family.
Aberdeen wedding was ‘ruined’ after attack
Fiscal depute David Ballock told the court that at around 1pm on April 6 2019, Allison attended a wedding at the hotel along with a large number of family members.
It was stated that throughout the evening Allison and his victim consumed a large amount of alcohol.
At around 10.35pm, Allison then became “agitated” while in the hotel bar due to an ongoing family issue.
“Thereafter, an employee of the hotel was walking out of the function room when they observed the accused go through a set of double doors,” Mr Ballock said.
“The accused appeared startled and stated that the employee ‘better go through and see the complainer as he’s on the ground’.
“They went through followed by others where they saw the complainer lying on the ground with an injury to the back of his head.
“Other members of the wedding party attended and tried to rouse the complainer, without success.”
An ambulance was called, at which point Allison made a number of admissions to one of the family members, including that he had “pushed” the complainer away.
He then added that he “does not know what happened”.
Mr Ballock stated that Allison then made apologies that the “wedding had been ruined”.
A member of the wedding party then took Allison away from the area to calm him down before he left the scene completely on his own.
Due to the extent of the father of the bride’s injuries, police then located Allison and cautioned and arrested him.
At Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Allison’s victim was found to have a fractured skull, a bleed on the brain and an abrasion to the back of his head.
His injuries were described as “life-threatening”.
Appearing in the dock, Allison pleaded guilty to one charge of assault to severe injury, permanent impairment and danger to life.
Defence solicitor John Hardie called for background reports to be carried out into his client.
However, he added that the “impact on the family has been traumatic and significant, to say the least”.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin deferred sentence on Allison, of Dubford Crescent, Aberdeen, until next month in order for a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty assessment to be carried out.
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