Two men have been remanded in custody after a “chaotic” Aberdeen street brawl that saw one victim stabbed multiple times.
Marcus Clarke, 48, and Ramay Russell, also known as Herb Russell, were convicted by a jury following a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen – with Clarke being found guilty of attempted murder.
Russell, 43, was unanimously convicted of the lesser charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement after he struck the man with a pair of bolt cutters.
Clarke, who has a long list of previous convictions, was found guilty by majority of attempting to murder victim Christopher McDonald by repeatedly stabbing him to the body with a knife.
As part of the same charge, Clarke was additionally convicted of assaulting Mr McDonald to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life.
It took a jury of eight women and seven men just over four hours to reach a verdict.
It was stated that, despite suffering serious injuries, Mr McDonald recovered from the violent assault.
‘Chaotic’ George Street brawl
During the trial, the court heard from witnesses who had become aware of a fight breaking out outside Spice of Asia on John Street, Aberdeen, on the afternoon of September 17 2023.
Several witnesses said the fight spilt out onto the corner of John Street and George Street and involved around five or six people plus a Staffordshire bull terrier.
Following an initial scuffle, Clarke and Russell attempted to walk away but were drawn back into the situation by McDonald, who punched one of the two and threw down a set of bolt cutters.
For there, a “chaotic” brawl got underway that saw McDonald being stabbed multiple times and struck with the bolt cutters.
Witness saw blood
One witness told advocate depute Robert Weir that she had witnessed “a scruffy looking white guy take a swing at someone” and begin the fight as she watched from her flat window.
“I was sitting in my living room, and I opened my window, and I saw a white guy and a black guy arguing,” the woman said.
“The white guy punched the black guy and they got into a scrap.
“Bolt cutters got thrown down and the white guy gets pushed against the wall.”
Asked by the advocate depute where the fight took place, she replied: “George Street, right in the middle of the street.”
The witness went on to describe how soon after she saw McDonald lift up his t-shirt and saw blood.
“I saw red coming down,” she said, adding: “There was a girl with him and she just started screaming.”
However, despite being pressed by the advocate depute on the matter, she did concede that she “didn’t get a good look” at the two men involved.
“All I could see is that they were black,” she added.
Clarke and Russell were picked up while driving a white Lexus on the B9001 Inverurie to Rothienorman road later that same day.
Victim ‘could have lost his life’
Following the verdict, defence advocate Iain Jane told the court that his client, Russell, had previous convictions on his record, but nothing directly analogous and nothing else outstanding other than this matter.
Mr Jane, alongside Clarke’s defence solicitor David Moggach, called for reports to be carried out into their clients’ backgrounds prior to sentencing.
Judge Andrew Miller told Russell that despite the “substantial deletion” from the charge, he had carried out an “extremely serious offence” by assaulting Mr McDonald to his severe injury.
“I know, however, that the evidence indicated you were not personally responsible for stabbing Mr McDonald,” the judge continued.
“However, the jury found Marcus Clarke was party to a concerted attack to which you were party to, during the attack, Mr McDonald received these injuries.”
Addressing Clarke, Judge Miller told him: “His injuries were severe and life endangering – were it not for the treatment he received at the scene, he could have lost his life.
“You have a significant record and only imprisonment will be appropriate and having regard for the serious nature of this offence and your record for crimes including ones for firearms legislation, violence and drugs offending.”
Judge Miller deferred sentence on Russell, of Simpson Crescent, Rothienorman, and Clarke, whose address was given as HMP Perth, and remanded both men in custody until next month.