An 80-year-old man who injured a professional boxer with a household nail has been spared a jail sentence.
Andrew Wilson, who admitted to the charges at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, got into a physical struggle with Wayne MacDonald after watching him perform karaoke at Wagleys Bar on Aberdeen’s Exchange Street.
The incident left the boxer with a 7cm laceration on his face.
It was heard the pensioner, who lives on Pittodrie Street, Aberdeen, became “aggressive” towards the younger man following the performance and a fight broke out on the pavement outside the pub.
Wilson initially denied he had been carrying a weapon to police – but later pled guilty.
During the previous hearing, the court heard that the victim had told Wilson that he was a professional boxer.
Fiscal depute Colin Neilson said: “The complainer was taking part in karaoke in Wagleys – the accused was inside the bar at this time.
“The accused became agitated and aggressive towards the complainer and was persuaded to leave the premises by friends.
“Around the same time the complainer was outside smoking a cigarette and a physical struggle started between the two.
“At one point in the course of the struggle the complainer seized the accused on the arm, resulting in bruising.
“Also during the course of the struggle the accused struck the complainer on the left cheek with a nail.”
Fiscal Neilson added that the victim was left with a “permanent scar”.
Wilson’s solicitor, Ian Woodward-Nutt, described the episode as a “serious matter” and said his client had “come prepared for jail” but had no previous convictions.
He also argued there was provocation on the part of the victim, who Mr Woodward-Nutt said grabbed Wilson’s arm during the scuffle and “played some role in the incident which Mr Wilson clearly took far too far”.
He added: “He is a man of significant age and he has accepted responsibility at an early stage in the proceedings.
“My client is at pains to stress he does not seek to blame anyone other than himself for his actions.”
Sherriff Summers said he was unable to sentence Wilson last month “because it was not clear who was responsible for starting the incident”.
He added: “It has now been made clear that it was your fault, Mr Wilson.
“It is accepted that at some point within the course of that struggle the complainer grabbed you, spun your arm causing a bruise.
“But the last act in the scuffle was your use of the nail, so the grabbing of the arm must have taken place beforehand.
“This is a very serious offence because it was an assault that involved the use of a weapon and caused severe injury and permanent disfigurement.”
Sherriff Summers said he agreed that there had been an “element of provocation” and that Wilson had “acted in the heat of the moment”.
He handed Wilson a community payback order that would see him under supervision for 12 months, a restriction of liberty order lasting six months and 150 hours of unpaid work.
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