Two thugs who battered a vulnerable Aberdeen dad – who was using a walking stick – in a savage street attack have been ordered to pay their victim £3,000.
Stephen Fraser and Richard Sandison set about the man after a drunken exchange of words on George Street.
The cowardly duo rained kicks down on the 52-year-old, who had been out for a drink with his son, leaving him covered in blood and lying in the middle of the road.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the victim and his son had been socialising in a pub in the city centre on November 30 2019, before leaving around midnight.
As they stood chatting on George Street, at its junction with Charles Street, the man’s son shouted something to a group of males on the other side of the road.
Aberdeen street attack victim has no memory of assault
The group, including Fraser, 32, and Sandison, 38, began to cross over towards them and the complainer tried to cool tensions, explaining his son “had too much to drink”.
Believing the situation to have calmed down, the son left the area, but Fraser and Sandison would not listen when they were also asked to walk away.
Mr Townsend told the court: “The complainer tried to defend himself and they ended up in the middle of the road where he was repeatedly kicked on the head and body causing him to fall to the ground.
“The complainer cannot remember anything else that happened after that.”
As passers-by rushed to the stricken man’s aid, he was unable to see as his vision was “completely blurred”.
One witness to the attack described seeing the victim “waving his walking stick in an effort to try and keep the males away from him”.
Medical students helped wounded victim
One of the assailants knocked the man’s glasses off and he dropped his stick.
The witness then saw one of the attackers “standing over” the man on the road and kicking him repeatedly to the head and body.
Mr Townsend said: “Initially the complainer had his hands up trying to defend himself but he dropped his hands and the accused just kept kicking him in the head.”
Fortunately, among the witnesses to the brutal assault were two young medical students, who shouted “what are you doing?” at the attackers.
One of them looked up, gave their victim “a last kick” before running away from the scene.
Their victim was left bloodied and “wasn’t really moving”.
The students called the police and an ambulance tried to help the injured man.
They noted he seemed “semi-conscious and dazed” and was “bleeding profusely” from his nose and had cuts all over his face.
A scan later revealed nasal fractures and injuries to and around his eye.
Victim lost job after attack
Both accused were traced and arrested, with Fraser telling officers “it wasn’t me” and Sandison said he couldn’t remember the incident.
Fraser, of Marchburn Road, Aberdeen, and Sandison, of Newton Road, Aberdeen, both pled guilty to a charge of assault to severe injury.
Defence agent Lisa Reilly, representing Fraser, said her client had limited recollection but accepted he assaulted the man and that his behaviour was “completely disproportionate and excessive”.
She added Fraser apologises for his conduct and, while he had a “difficult relationship” with alcohol at the time, he has since become more “family-focused”.
Solicitor Iain McGregor, appearing for Sandison, said his client was a first-offender and had drunk a “fairly substantial quantity of alcohol that evening”.
He said Sandison’s recollection was “hazy”, but added that he had shown “regret” and “remorse”.
Sheriff Christine McCrossan, referring to a victim impact statement, said the victim was unable to return to work following the attack and subsequently lost his job.
She warned Fraser and Sandison: “If either of you had been in custody before, there’s no doubt I’d send you to prison for this matter.”
Instead, the sheriff ordered each of them to pay their victim £1,500 in compensation.
Sandison was also handed 175 hours of unpaid work and a six-month curfew, while Fraser was given 200 hours and an eight-month curfew.
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