The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Stun-gun kills auction mart boss dad-of-two
Tributes to Highland games competitor and father-of-two
A NORTH-EAST auctioneer has died from head injuries after a stun gun incident at a busy cattle market.
Aberdeenshire man Stephen Aitken was taken to hospital in a critical condition after being found by colleagues at Darlington Auction Mart in England.
But the 45-year-old – originally from Auchenblae – died at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.
Last night colleagues paid tribute to the father-of-two, who was a regular competitor at Highland games events across the north and north-east.
John walton, chairman of Darlington Auction Mart Company, which owns the site, cancelled the sale and closed the mart for the day because staff were too distressed to work.
The mart was packed with livestock and farmers waiting for the sale to begin when the incident happened at about 9 am on monday. Mr walton said: “Everyone is in shock. Our thoughts are with his family.
“I was not present when it happened, but I decided to send everyone home and not hold the market.
“It was impossible to hold a market – everyone was so upset.”
Mr Aitken, who lived at Ingleby Barwick, near Middlesbrough, was managing director and chief auctioneer at the mart.
He had been living in the north-east of England for around 10 years.
Before moving south he was a regular Highland games heavyweight competitor at events in Dufftown, Drumtochty, Stonehaven, Aboyne and Montrose.
Jim Brown, president of the Scottish Highland Games, said he had known Mr Aitken since he was a child – and spoke about how he would be missed by a lot of people.
He said Mr Aitken would still travel from Darlington to the north-east to compete in the games every week.
“He was an incredible athlete and such an allrounder. He could run and jump in his very early days, and he went on to have such a long career,” said Mr Brown.
“Both his father and brother Bruce have also been great successes at the games, and now his nephews are following in his footsteps too.
“He was a local lad who made good. It’s just so sad.”
Police recovered a bolt gun – used to stun animals – at the scene.
Investigations into the incident are continuing, but police said they are not treating it as suspicious.
Detective Sergeant Jim Cunningham, of Darlington CID, who is leading the investigation, said: “There is nothing suspicious at the present time and we are trying to establish what has happened.”
And a spokesman for Durhampolice said: “Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident and a bolt gun, used to stun animals before slaughter, has been recovered from the scene.”
Last night the force confirmed that a post-mortem examination will be carried out in the next couple of days and that an inquest will be opened at the end of the week.
The Health and Safety Executive has launched an investigation.
Mr Aitken had been at
“He was a local lad who made good. It’s just so sad”
the forefront of plans to move the cattle mart to a purpose built out-of-town complex.
The move, at a cost of about £17million, would have created 300 jobs over three years.
Last year, the UK Government refused a request for a £5million grant to help move the mart – but Mr Aitken pledged it would still go ahead, despite some opposition from nearby residents.