Aberdeen man struck love rival with a bottle over ‘disrespectful remark’

A man who bottled a love rival over a “disrespectful comment” has been ordered to pay his victim £750 in compensation.

Ryan Murdoch, 20, struck the man twice on the head with a glass bottle at Prohibition on Langstane Place in Aberdeen.

The 20-year-old had confronted the man over talking to a female they had both previously been in a relationship with and lost his temper when he said they’d been in contact.

Fiscal depute Felicity Merson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “The complainer and another male both know the accused.

“The complainer is the ex-partner of a female who the accused had also been in a relationship with until shortly before this incident.

“Throughout the late evening of January 25 and into the early morning of January 26 the complainer and the other male were socialising at the bar area within the locus with a group of friends.

“At about 1.30am the accused approached the complainer and asked whether he had been in contact with the woman.

“Upon him confirming that he had, the accused became angry and struck him to the head with a glass bottle.

“The bottle hit him just above his left eyebrow.

“As he was trying to protect his face the accused hit him again with the bottle on the top of his head.

“The accused was separated from the complainer by the other male and the police were called.

“On police arrival, the complainer was receiving first aid for his injuries.

“The accused was cautioned and charged with assault and conveyed to Kittybrewster custody suite.”

Mrs Merson added: “The complainer later attended at the emergency department at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he was assessed.

“He was found to have a wound above his left eye measuring 1cm and a further wound on the top of his head.

“Both wounds were closed using tissue glue.”

Murdoch, of Lochinch Park, Cove, pled guilty to a charge of assault to injury.

Defence agent Michael Burnett said: “His girlfriend at the time is the ex-partner of the complainer.

“Apparently there was some disrespectful remark made by the complainer. He approached the complainer and remonstrated with him about that.

“The complainer said ‘you’re not going to do anything about it’, the accused corrected him about that and here we are.

“It wasn’t a random act of violence.”

Sheriff Graeme Napier told Murdoch: “You’re only 20 and I have to take that into account. I have to take into account you have had health issues in the past.

“That doesn’t excuse what you did.

“You’re very, very fortunate that the injuries sustained by this person were not more serious.”

The sheriff ordered Murdoch to pay his victim £750 in compensation.

He also imposed 160 hours of unpaid work and a year’s supervision.