Man ‘overstepped the mark’ when trying to defend himself from trio

A man who managed to snatch a baseball bat off a group of men who were trying to rob him ended up in the dock himself after he “overstepped the mark” defending himself.

Dylan Dunlop sent his victim to the hospital after he battered him about the head and body with the bat – cracking it over the man’s face as he tried to flee.

The 27-year-old’s actions resulted in the man suffering a series of injuries, including a large lump to his forehead, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.

Fiscal depute Jane Spark told the court that on the afternoon of November 29 last year a group of three males were in a house in Northfield when they decided that “they were going to rob someone”.

Stealing a black metal baseball bat from a neighbour’s garden, the group then went to the skate park within Alan Douglas Park, where they approached Dunlop.

A fight broke out and, as one of them went to strike Dunlop, he was disarmed and his potential victim managed to take possession of the bat.

The two other members of the group fled, leaving their friend on the ground with Dunlop standing over him.

Dunlop struck him on the leg with the bat.

“A female passer-by approached Dunlop and challenged him,” Ms Spark said.

“Whilst the accused was engaged in conversation with the woman, the complainer stood up and attempted to flee.

“The accused ran after him, raised the bat using both hands and struck the complainer with full force to the left side of his face, causing him to fall to the ground.”

Appearing in the dock, Dunlop pled guilty to one charge of assault to injury.

Defence solicitor Graham Morrison told the court: “He overstepped the mark, but he was quite angry about what had happened – he was also quite disorientated.”

As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Ian Miller made Dunlop, of Briarfield Terrace, Aberdeen, subject to a community payback order and ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Dylan Dunlop.