A man had his jaw broken in two places in a row over a kebab.
Romanian national Marian Tanase, 30, had to be extradited on a European arrest warrant from Germany to face a charge of assault to severe injury and permanent impairment after punching and knocking down 20-year-old Dundonian Reece Clark in East Marketgait following a nightclub visit on April 1 and 2 last year.
Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court the unemployed Romanian was with his former co-accused Vasile Cercel when they came across Clark, who was among a group at the Corfu Kebab shop.
The group struck up a conversation with two female friends of the accused and an argument ensued.
Clark became angry and went across to nearby police officers and told them to sort out the situation or he would “do something” himself.
The two groups then separated but further up the road came together again and there was a further altercation where food belonging to the girls was knocked to the ground, and Tanase punched Clark once in the face, knocking him to the ground.
Tanase then ran off.
Clark was bleeding from the mouth. Hospital x-rays showed his jaw had been fractured on both sides.
Ms Robertson told the court “metal plates and screws were inserted and they will remain there permanently”.
Clark felt numbness to his lip, which might improve, she said, and he was still suffering from the effects of the injury after several weeks.
Tanase, a prisoner at Perth, was initially detained at an address in Dundee and taken to police HQ where he told officers: “My actions were a result of that guy taking the food away from these girls and throwing it in the street.”
He pleaded guilty to the offence and has been remanded in custody. Cercel, 21, of Erskine Street, had his plea of not guilty to the same charge accepted by the Crown.
Solicitor Gary McIlravey said Tanase had been a bystander for a large part of the incident and that Mr Clark had “not covered himself in glory”, but said his client had to accept the “single punch” had had serious consequences.
He said Tanase had left the country as he was unable to work and earn any money after injuring his hand as a result of an accident at work.
Sentence was deferred until September 11 for reports.
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