A yob has been jailed after assaulting a man with a garden gnome outside an Aberdeen pub on Christmas Day – leaving his victim with a broken jaw.
Cameron Howey lashed out with the ornament beside the Mains of Scotstown in Bridge of Don after a night of drinking.
Howey and a friend got into a row with another male, who had been at the bar with the friend’s ex-partner.
But as he and the woman tried to walk away to avoid the confrontation, Howey, 23, armed himself with the gnome and struck his victim with it.
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 2.40am on December 25 2022.
She explained Howey had been drinking with friends in Dyce when one of the group got a call from his ex-partner.
An argument between the former couple broke out and she asked him to meet her at the Mains of Scotstown pub.
‘Just making sure that the court hadn’t forgotten about them’
The man, along with Howey, took a taxi to the bar where the duo began arguing with a male, the complainer, who had been there with Howey’s friend’s ex.
Ms Martin told the court: “The complainer and the woman began to walk away in an attempt to avoid the confrontation.
“The accused picked up a garden gnome and used this to strike the complainer to the head.
“The complainer began bleeding from the head and the arguing continued for another 10 minutes.”
Eventually, the complainer made his way home on foot while the female contacted the police.
He was left with lacerations to his head and face which needed to be glued shut.
He also suffered a fractured jaw which needed follow-up treatment.
Howey, of HMP Glenochil, pled guilty to assault to severe injury.
Defence agent Laura Gracie said: “Unfortunately this is another case where there is reference to adverse childhood experiences.
“I wouldn’t intend to rehearse what’s said within the report.”
‘It tends to suggest he’s quite a violent person’
She went on: “He recognises his excessive consumption of alcohol has played a significant part in his reaction.
“The report writer feels, because of his age, he’s at a stage where he could be able to be reformed.”
Sheriff Graham Buchanan commented: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a report where the sentencing guidelines in relation to young people have been repeated more often.”
He joked: “Just making sure that the court hadn’t forgotten about them.”
However, the sheriff pointed out Howey had five convictions for violent offences since 2023, adding: “This is concerning because it tends to suggest he’s quite a violent person.”
Ms Gracie replied: “He has now learned the consequences of his behaviour will be that he’s taken into custody if he’s not able to fix his ways.”
Sheriff Buchanan, addressing Howey directly, said: “Against the background of all that has gone on recently, and the nature of this offence, and the concerns about your behaviour expressed by the author of the social work report, a prison sentence is unavoidable in this case.”
He ordered Howey to be jailed for 11 months.
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