A thug who got drunk at a party then attacked a teenager who was playing football has been jailed.
Stewart Morgan, 38, punched the 19-year old so hard he broke his jaw in two places.
The assault took place near Kemnay Academy on the evening of August 28 2020.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Morgan had angrily approached a group of boys playing football on a local AstroTurf park and began to threaten them while shaking the perimeter gate, shouting “you’re lucky I can’t get in”.
Later that evening as the boys ended the game, Morgan became aggressive with the little brother of the victim, resulting in the 19-year old stepping in-between the two.
Morgan responded to this by stating “you’re obviously trying to start something, you’re wanting a headbutt”.
Accused taunted other boys after hitting victim
Fiscal depute Felicity Merson told the court: “The accused then jerked his head and attempted to headbutt him – the complainer managed to avoid contact by taking a step back.
“He continued to walk backwards away from the accused, who then swung his right fist.
“This struck the complainer on the face, instantly knocking him to the ground – the complainer started to spit blood from his mouth and immediately felt pain in his jaw and felt dizzy.
“He could feel his jaw was clicking.
“As he lay there, the accused went back to the complainer’s friends and said, ‘if you’re still wanting a go, I just put him on his ass’.”
An x-ray at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary confirmed the victim had two fractures in his jaw.
He underwent surgery the following day to have two metal plates and screws inserted.
Morgan was later arrested and interviewed, where he claimed he had no recollection of the incident due to being extremely drunk.
Solicitor says accused was in ‘very low and dark place’
Defence agent Tony Burgess told the court that his client’s memory of the incident – although “very hazy” in his mind – involved him attempting to break up a fight between the boys.
He said: “My client remembers some verbal between some of the boys from the football pitches who came out to continue an argument with other boys.
“Mr Morgan became concerned that he was going to get punched and acted first.”
Mr Burgess added that Morgan had been “very low and in a dark place” at the time of the incident.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin informed the 38-year old that she was not going to give him a community-based disposal due to the level of violence and the extent of the injury he inflicted on his victim.
She sentenced Morgan, of McCombie Crescent, Kemnay, to 13 months in prison.
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