Road rage nutter’s rolling pin attack

A businessman battered a driver over the head with a 2ft rolling pin after he was cut up on a busy dual carriageway. Kirk Harrison, 32, saw red when Steven Gault changed lanes on Aberdeen's north esplanade west and cut across his path. When the cars stopped in a queue of traffic, the property boss got out of his car and repeatedly hit the other motorist over the head with the rolling pin. Harrison, who drives a Bentley and also runs a successful city nightclub, left his victim seriously injured and scarred in the road rage attack. He admitted the May 21 assault at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Thursday.

Fiscal depute Elaine Ward said: "The complainer was driving on a section of dual carriageway when he moved from the left to the right hand lane. At that time he became aware of the vehicle being driven by the accused. The accused began to flash his lights and raise his hands. The complainer began to make rude gestures at the accused giving the finger and also threw a bottle at the accused's car." Mrs Ward said both men ended up out of their cars when they got stuck in traffic. She added: "The accused was carrying a rolling pin, approximately two foot in length. Fearing the accused was going to damage his vehicle, the complainer also got out his car and swore."



The court heard Harrison was taking the rolling pin, along with other items, to furnish one of his properties when the incident happened. Witnesses said it the accused began "raining blow after blow" on Mr Gault's head during the "ferocious" attack. The victim believed he was struck around ten times. Mr Gault suffered a number of cuts to his head and received 13 stitches. He was also left with a permanent scar on his forehead. Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt said his client was a self-employed businessman running several businesses in the city.

He said: "The complainer effectively cut in front of my client's vehicle. He threw a bottle out of the window with the intent of hitting my client's car." He said Harrison, of Aberdeen, had the intention of giving Mr Gault a scare but the situation spiralled out of control. He added: "Mr Harrison accepts that he is not the victim in this matter but he is the perpetrator of a very nasty assault." Harrison admitted assaulting Mr Gault with the rolling pin at the city's sheriff court. Sheriff Kieran McLernan deferred sentence for background reports.