A woman who left a love rival scarred after a broad daylight attack in the city centre has been ordered to pay her victim compensation.
Danielle Sunley, 29, punched the woman in the face on Union Street, leaving her with a laceration underneath her right eye which had to be glued shut and which medical experts predicted would leave a scar.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard the women had a history of issues, with the woman at one point being in a relationship with Sunley’s ex partner.
But now she has appeared back in the dock, where Sheriff Margaret Hodge ordered her to pay her victim £100 in compensation, and to complete 70 hours of unpaid work.
The sheriff warned: “The court has to treat seriously cases of assault where someone was punched in the face.
“The outcome can be serious if the person falls or sustains a head injury.”
The incident happened on October 7.
Defence agent Neil McRobert told the court: “She’s seen the complainer by chance. It would appear words were exchanged.
“It’s her position that as she walked on, the complainer made a derogatory comment and in response to that she accepts she returned and acted in the manner libeled.
“She lost her temper. She went home and she then contacted the police.
“She does regret her conduct on this day.”
Mr McRobert added the defence did not accept the crown’s position that Sunley had challenged the woman to a “square go”.
Fiscal depute Alison Reid previously told the court: “The complainer and the accused know one another. The complainer was in a relationship at one stage with the accused’s ex-partner, and the two females appear to have had a number of issues together in the past.
“The time of the offence was approximately 10.40am.
“At that time the complainer was sitting on a bench on Union Street along with two others.
“At that time the accused walked past and approached the woman and the accused and she began to have a heated conversation with one another.
“The accused asked her to go round the corner with her for a square go.
“The complainer declined.
“At this point the accused punched the woman, striking her right eye.
“She sustained a cut beneath her right eye which started to bleed heavily.
“She went to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and was found to have sustained a 1cm laceration which needed to be glued closed.
“The medical staff there told the police that this will leave permanent scarring in their opinion.”
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