A lap-dancing club doorman has avoided jail after he attacked a punter who had been out celebrating his wedding anniversary and threw him down a set of stairs.
Mohammed Iqbal, 29, who worked at The Mask on Bridge Street, was handed unpaid work after previously admitting assault to the victim’s severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Head doorman Iqbal swung punches at him four times when he refused to pay for drinks for two women, then threw the man to the ground, placed him in a headlock and elbowed him in the face.
The victim suffered a fractured left cheekbone and permanent scarring to his right eye.
Another club worker, Chris Masson, joined Iqbal, then threw the man down a set of stairs and against a bar before finally throwing him into the road outside.
Masson, 26, previously admitted assault and also possession of a baton.
The court heard the victim had been on a night out with his wife to celebrate their anniversary.
His wife had gone to bed at a hotel – but he stayed out in town.
Yesterday defence agent David Sutherland, representing Iqbal, said the man had made “racial comments” towards his client and “squared up” to him and made an “attempted headbutt”.
He added Iqbal “expressed remorse” over the incident.
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Solicitor Laura Gracie, representing Masson, said her client had not seen the start of the incident and first became aware when he saw Iqbal and the man “wrestling with each other”.
She added the baton had been left at the club and Masson had it with him to hand in to police.
Sheriff Andrew Miller ordered Iqbal, of Anderson Drive, Aberdeen, to be supervised for 12 months and do 180 hours of unpaid work.
Meanwhile he handed Masson, of Broomhill Road, Aberdeen, 120 hours and admonished him in respect of the baton.
The court was previously shown CCTV of the incident, which happened on February 24.
It showed two women leading the man into the club with a pole dancer gyrating on a stage in the background.
Footage from the booth shows one of the female staff members removing her top, putting another top on and dancing next to the man.
Iqbal then walks in and punches him four times.
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