A Montrose airline pilot says he is lucky to be alive after being knocked unconscious in a vicious attack by a Fife yob outside a Busted concert.
Ross McConnell, 35, and his wife Lisa, 32, attended the show at Aberdeen’s P&J Live in September 2023 with two friends.
Ross says that as he waited for a taxi home, he was punched without provocation by Ben Corfield, from Balmullo.
Corfield admitted punching Ross on the head and causing him to fall to the ground outside the concert venue.
The attack caused Ross to hit his head, knocking him unconscious, to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Lisa was also attacked by a woman from Dundee.
Montrose man knocked unconscious by punch outside concert
Ross told The Courier: “I was stood with my wife’s friend with my hands in my pockets when a man approached me and punched me to the left side of my jaw.
“This caused me to lose my balance, fall back and hit my head off the granite pavement, losing consciousness.
“This punch was entirely unprovoked, with no discussion or words exchanged between us prior.”
Ross was taken to the arena’s first aid room after regaining consciousness, realising he had blood pouring out the back of his head.
After being bandaged and providing a statement to police, Ross was taken to hospital, where staff cleaned the wound and closed it with seven stitches.
Ross – who now lives in Aberdeen for his job – said: “The after effects included severe whiplash-like symptoms across the top of my torso, with pain in the wound.
“The stitches were removed around a week later at my GP surgery.
“I have a seven-centimetre scar to this day that I can feel that reminds me of the incident.”
As a commercial pilot, Ross must sit medical exams every year.
His was suspended for six weeks due to his loss of consciousness.
He said: “It took a further two weeks to regain my medical after various tests and an additional two weeks on top of this for my employer to build a training package to get me back to work.
“Once back at work, my medical was ‘restricted’, meaning I could not fly with another pilot who had a restricted medical, or with someone over 60 years old.
“This meant work I would bid for was not given to me, and various opportunities of overtime had to be missed to a significant financial detriment.
“Lisa had to rearrange her shifts at work, organise extra childcare and decline various plans she had made with friends and family to care for me and my daughter while taking the time to recover from this violent assault.”
Appearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Corfield, 40, of Stration Terrace in Balmullo, also pled guilty to attacking Conall Seaton – along with an unknown person – by punching him and seizing him on the body, causing him to fall to the ground, struggling with him and seizing him by the neck.
Meanwhile, Claire Maclagan, 36, of Balmoral Gardens in Dundee, admitted assaulting Lisa by repeatedly punching her and kicking her on the head and body.
The pair will be sentenced in May.
‘I’m aware of just how lucky I am’
Ross is hoping to raise awareness of the devastating impact one-punch attacks can have on their victims.
He said: “There was a man killed in such an incident in Aberdeen in March 2023.
“There was also a documentary on TV around a year ago which talked of one-punch killers.
“After 10 minutes, I couldn’t watch any more as it was just too close to home.”
Ross added: “The man who assaulted me was able to carry on his life up until Tuesday without any real restrictions, other than standard bail conditions.
“I was also updated by police that he and his wife were released after only a few hours in custody.
“I very nearly lost my life. I’m aware of just how lucky I am not to be more seriously injured.
“Had my head impacted around 30cm in another direction, it would have struck uneven granite cobble. It may have resulted in more serious consequences.
“I lost out quite significantly financially and am now more aware when in crowded situations of just who may approach me.”
