An Angus nightclub bouncer who injured a man so badly he required surgery to repair retinal damage to both eyes will be sentenced next month.
John Spink rained down punches on Nicky Oliver as he held him in a headlock minutes after an argument between the victim and the Arbroath club’s owner an attack which led to an indictment appearance at Forfar Sheriff Court on Monday.
Spink (29), of Cairnie Street in Arbroath, pleaded guilty to assaulting Nicky Oliver, c/o Tayside Police, on October 24, 2009, in Devito’s, Millgate, to his injury, after deletion of the word ‘severe’ from the charge was accepted by the Crown.
Depute fiscal Hannah Kennedy said the victim, a chef in Arbroath at the time of the incident, had been out with friends and arrived at the nightclub in the early hours of a Saturday morning.
“He went upstairs to the toilet and then accidentally bumped into the owner of the club,” the fiscal said. “There seems to have been some short argument there but he thought no more about it.”
The court was told that the complainer then went to put his coat in the cloakroom, but the club owner indicated to the girl there that she should not take it.
The depute fiscal added, “While he (Mr Oliver) is standing there, he was approached from behind by the accused, who was a bouncer. He is immediately placed in a severe head-lock and his head is being forced down at that stage.
“He tried to get away but the grip was so tight he couldn’t get loose and was finding it difficult to breathe,” added the fiscal.
The court heard the victim initially felt three or four punches to the side of his face, and although he tried to punch the accused in the ribs, that had no effect.
“According to the complainer, he is then punched another six or seven times and then unceremoniously released and thrown out of the club.”
Although initially treated at Arbroath’s minor injuries unit, Mr Oliver subsequently suffered headaches and sight problems and, some time after the assault, underwent surgery to repair retinal breaks in both eyes.
“The surgeon explained that such breaks essentially holes can occur through natural causes or can be caused by blunt force trauma and the complainer had suffered no traumas prior to the incident,” added the depute fiscal.
“This was no doubt a distressing incident for the complainer and one that appears was not provoked directly by him. He did not see the accused approaching him.”
Sheriff Veal deferred sentence on Spink until February 17 for reports, including a restriction of liberty order assessment.