An Aberdeen council architect who chased a child with a meat cleaver and left his wife severely injured after a violent attack has been spared a prison sentence.

Colin Doig, 56, admitted carrying out the wine-fuelled rampage at an address in Dundee in 2022.

The city’s sheriff court heard how the woman suffered a serious ankle injury at Doig’s hands, requiring her to have eight pins and a plate inserted.

The early teenage child – too young to be identified publicly – later told police he was in fear for his life while being chased.

Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith told Doig: “The consumption of alcohol will never provide a defence and the consumption of alcohol will not provide proper mitigation.

“It’s clear you perhaps minimised the amount you had drunk when talking to the author of the social work report.

“You and your wife shared three bottles of wine and your wife told the police you had drunk most of it. The sentence is a direct alternative to custody.”

Child locked himself in bathroom

Doig, who works for Aberdeen City Council, previously served as the president of Dundee’s Institute of Architects and was the sole director of Dunard Design until 2018.

At around 9.30pm, the woman went to sleep and left Doig to carry on drinking, the court heard.

However, he turned his attention on the child and an argument reached boiling point.

Prosecutor Joanne Ritchie said: “The accused picked up a meat cleaver from the knife block on the kitchen counter and started chasing (the complainer) around the kitchen island with the meat cleaver in his possession.

“The child was in fear of what the accused might do and locked himself in the upstairs bathroom.

“The accused placed the knife down and pursued him up the stairs.

“The accused’s wife was awoken by the noise and exited into the hallway.”

Doig repeatedly punched and kicked the door while shouting and swearing.

The court heard he banged the door so hard it cracked and caused his own hand to bleed.

Woman fell backwards

The woman tried to pull Doig away but he pushed her on the chest, causing her to fall backwards.

Ms Ritchie added: “His wife got back up and as soon as she was on her feet, he pushed her over again, this time causing her to injure her ankle, which caused her significant pain.

“This was overheard by the child who was against the door and could hear the woman falling and screaming.

“The accused headed to the bathroom. At this point, the child opened the door.

“The woman contacted the police as she was frightened by the accused’s actions and what he might do.”

Claimed he acted in self defence

Doig waited outside the address for police, who found him visibly under the influence of alcohol.

After being arrested, Doig said: “It was self-defence.”

The woman declined to be seen by paramedics and said she would attend at Ninewells Hospital in the morning.

Eight pins and a plate were put into her ankle during surgery.

She was off work for several weeks but by March 2024, had made a full recovery.

Doig, of Broughty Ferry, pled guilty to acting aggressively by pursuing the child with a meat cleaver, repeatedly punching and kicking a door and shouting and screaming on November 20 2022.

He also admitted repeatedly pushing his wife on the body, causing her to fall to the floor and suffer severe injury.

Defence solicitor Gary McIlravey said Doig and his wife have since reconciled.

Doig was ordered to perform 225 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to custody.