An AWOL soldier came home to Dundee to escape his personal problems – and ended up breaking a man’s jaw in an unprovoked attack.
Liam Hansen, 21, of St Fillans Road, admitted that on January 19, at Industry Nightclub, Seagate, he assaulted Stuart Bisset and punched him on the head to his severe injury.
Fiscal depute Joanne Smith told Dundee Sheriff Court Mr Bisset had been drinking with friends in a couple of pubs in the city centre and went to Industry Nightclub at around 11pm.
Ms Smith said: “He was standing close to the bar area when he became aware of a bouncer talking to a group of people, one of them the accused.
“The accused came over and said ‘were you looking at me? I think you were’.
“Without warning he punched the complainer to the left side of his jaw.
“That caused him to fall back slightly.
“The complainer spoke to the bar manager and asked him to remove the accused.”
She said Hansen was being escorted from the premises when police officers arrived and took him outside.
Mr Bisset told the officers he was in severe pain and an ambulance was called.
He was taken to the accident and emergency department at Ninewells Hospital and an X-ray showed he had suffered a fractured jaw. He did not require surgery.
Solicitor Amy Fox said Hansen was an Army soldier based in the Highlands.
She said: “At the time of this offence he had gone AWOL.
“He has had personal difficulties in his life.”
Sheriff George Way noted that he had convictions dating back to 2014 and said he had been placed on the Venture Trust programme, but since joining the Army in July 2016 had not been in trouble.
He said: “He has had brushes with disorder but that was addressed and he had not offended since he joined the Army.
“But members of the armed forces and in particular from this area, from Condor, often find themselves in trouble at this court.
“This caused a serious injury, albeit it was just one punch, but I will have to get reports.”
He deferred sentence on Hansen until September 18 and continued his bail order, which includes a special condition not to enter Industry Nightclub.
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