A thug repeatedly struck a man in the head with a knife as he desperately tried to save his unresponsive friend’s life.
Dean MacLennan was drinking with a group of people including James Williams and Barry Dyker at an address on Seaton Walk, Aberdeen, before the incident happened.
During the evening, Mr Dyker, 45, became unresponsive and Mr Williams frantically tried to revive the man by administering first aid.
But as he was on the ground carrying out chest compressions, he felt a blow to the top of his head and turned to see MacLennan standing over him with a knife.
MacLennan, 30, repeatedly struck Mr Williams with the knife until the blade snapped and his victim had blood pouring from his head.
Tragically, Mr Dyker, who Mr Williams had been trying to save, passed away. Police later established there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.
Fiscal depute Jane Spark told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that MacLennan arrived at the address and joined the group drinking around 2pm on Monday August 28 last year.
Ms Spark said: “The witnesses were of the opinion the accused was already under the influence of alcohol due to both his speech and demeanour.
“Shortly after the accused’s arrival, the complainer went to sleep in one of the bedrooms.”
Around 8.30pm, Mr Williams was woken by the sound of others in the group screaming and shouting for help from the living room.
He rushed through and observed Mr Dyker lying on the sofa appearing to be deceased.
Mr Williams moved Mr Dyker onto the floor and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Knife snapped during vicious attack
Ms Spark told the court MacLennan was then heard to say: “Whatever happened to Barry happened to Barry. It’s his own fault.”
Mr Williams took exception to this and MacLennan was asked to leave, replying: “I’m gonna need a big boy to get me out of this house.”
Believing a fight was going to take place, the other members of the group left.
Ms Spark said: “Whilst on the ground providing chest compressions, the complainer felt something strike him to the head.
“The complainer turned his head and looked up to see the accused standing over him.
“The accused then struck the complainer twice to the left side of his head and then immediately felt blood trickle down the back of his head and neck.
“The complainer then felt a further strike to his head and realised at this point the accused was using a knife.
“The complainer then saw the blade of the knife snap and fall to the ground.”
The knife was estimated to have had a three-inch blade.
MacLennan then began repeatedly punching and kicking Mr Williams’ head, causing him to fall to the ground.
When Mr Williams got back to his feet, the pair struggled and he managed to push MacLennan away.
MacLennan threatened to throw acid in the faces of a police officer, his partner and his child
Eventually, MacLennan left and was traced nearby by the police and found to have blood on his clothing.
He was arrested and, while being booked into custody, unleashed a torrent of homophobic and threatening abuse towards the officers.
MacLennan called them “rent boys” and told one constable he would remember him and throw acid in the faces of him, his partner and his child, describing how his face would “sizzle”.
He also referred to officers as “f****ts”, “p***s” and “paedophiles”.
Mr Williams was not traced until August 30 but had “visible injuries to his head”.
He was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he was found to have suffered a fracture to his jaw as well as injuries to his nose, right shoulder blade and the top of his head.
MacLennan, a prisoner at HMP Grampian in Peterhead, pled guilty to assault to severe injury and danger of life and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Defence agent David Sutherland said his client had known Mr Dyker for “many, many years”, but stressed his death was “nothing to do with my client whatsoever”.
He also disputed that MacLennan had made the remark narrated about Mr Dyker, adding that Mr Williams himself had an “extensive record for violence”.
The solicitor said MacLennan also suffered injuries in the course of what witnesses called a “fight” between the two men.
Mr Sutherland said a court-ordered social work report concluded with a “polite request” that MacLennan be given a community sentence instead of imprisonment.
Sheriff rejects social worker’s ‘polite request’ for accused to be spared jail
Sheriff Ian Duguid KC told MacLennan: “I have viewed what’s described as a ‘polite request’ by the social worker to impose a community payback order.
“Notwithstanding the complainer’s record, this is a crime of assault which involved the use of a knife. There’s a significant injury inflicted here.
“The use of a knife cannot be marked without a period of imprisonment bearing in mind your record.”
He ordered MacLennan to be jailed for two years, backdated to August 31 when he was first remanded, and imposed a 12-month supervised release order.
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