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Man denies fatal street attack in Aberdeen

Ken Banks
BBC Scotland, High Court in Aberdeen
Police Scotland Steven Johnson - a man with a beard and wearing a light-coloured shirt looking at the camera.Police Scotland
Steven Johnson died in 2023

A man has gone on trial charged with killing another man in Aberdeen.

Derek Pearson, 47, is accused of attacking Steven Johnson in the city's Carmelite Lane in March 2023.

Mr Johnson, 50, is said to have fallen and struck his head. He later died in hospital.

Mr Pearson denied the charge at the High Court in Aberdeen.

The indictment alleges that Mr Pearson assaulted Mr Johnson on 12 March 2023 at Carmelite Lane and killed him.

Police car with blue and yellow checks across a cobbled street, with blue and white police tape across the road, and another police vehicle visible at the far end of the street.
Police were called to Carmelite Lane in Aberdeen city centre

It is claimed Mr Pearson pushed him against a wall, pinned him to the wall with his elbow, repeatedly struggled with him, and repeatedly punched him on the head.

It is said this caused Mr Johnson to fall and strike his head off a stationary vehicle and the road and became unconscious.

The indictment states he was so severely injured that he died on 14 March 2023 in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Mr Pearson - who has lodged a special defence of self defence - also denies other assault allegations.

The trial, before Judge Graham Buchanan, is expected to last several days.