A brutal Angus attacker kicked a man so hard an imprint of his trainer was left on his victim’s face, a court has heard.
Police were later able to match a pair of the accused’s footwear with marks left on Michael Richardson’s cheek.
The violent beating, which left the ”vulnerable victim” unconscious in the street, was captured on CCTV and the footage was played at Arbroath Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
The footage proved to be the downfall for Scott Matthews (20), who was identified by police as the attacker after they reviewed the CCTV tapes.
Matthews’ trainers were also taken by police and forensic scientists concluded the patterns on the sole were similar to a series of parallel lines left on the Mr Richardson’s left cheek.
The victim suffered a laceration to the back of his head which was glued, a cut to the left side of his head, bruising to his left eye socket and a broken jaw.
Matthews, of Parkview Gardens, initially appeared on a petition alleging attempted murder but pleaded guilty to an indictment of assault to severe injury.
He admitted that on August 27 at Brothock Bridge he assaulted Mr Richardson and butted him on the head; seized him by the body; repeatedly punched him on the head and body; seized him by the neck and pulled him to the ground; stamped on his head; and kicked him on the head whereby he struck his head against a wall and was rendered unconscious, all to his injury.
Depute fiscal Hazel Anderson said: ”In the Crown view, the accused committed a brutal and violent attack against a vulnerable victim who was heavily under the influence of alcohol, whereby he was incapable of defending himself.”
She said the background to the attack was that two to three months previously the complainer had been accused by Matthews of assaulting his cousin.
Around 4pm, Mr Richardson went out to socialise with football team-mates. He consumed a large amount of alcohol in various pubs before leaving the Central Bar at 10pm where he was followed by Matthews.
Ms Anderson said: ”The accused set upon the complainer by headbutting him to the left side of his head, causing him to lose balance, then grabbed hold of the complainer and punched him to the head three times before grabbing him round the neck and pulling him to the ground.
”At this stage a second, unidentified male, approached the complainer whilst he was on the ground and kicked him to the head or upper body then ran off.
”At the same time the accused punched the complainer four times to the head or upper body. The accused then stood up, straddled the complainer and with his left foot, stamped on the right side of his face.
”A male in a grey T-shirt then pulled the accused off the complainer and he and a female tried to keep the accused back from the complainer.”
Matthews then stepped up on to the raised grass area outside the public while Mr Richardson tried to get back on his feet.
Ms Anderson added: ”An unknown female attempted to keep the accused away from the complainer, however, the accused stepped down off the raised grass area, approached and with his right knee kneed him on the side of his face, with force, causing him to fall back, striking the back of his head off the cobbled wall, rendering him unconscious.”
Defence agent Nick Markowski said his client was under no illusions that his liberty was at stake.
Sheriff Peter Paterson called for reports and deferred sentence until June 19. Matthews was bailed.