A drunken man who assaulted another person after he bumped into him in a Hawick nightclub has been ordered to pay his victim £4,000 compensation.
Twenty-one-year-old Scott Grant, of Queen’s Drive, Hawick, admitted butting the man on the head to his injury at Base on August 17. The offence happened around 2am.
Prosecutor Tessa Bradley told a previous hearing how the victim and the accused were close to each other on the dance floor when the man accidentally bumped into Grant.
“He butted him, causing two teeth to break,” said Ms Bradley.
The victim, who was bleeding heavily from his mouth, was “somewhat unjustly” put out of the nightclub, continued Ms Bradley.
Grant told police he had “stuck the head in”.
The man sustained two broken front teeth and was quoted £4,000 for private medical treatment which would take two years to complete.
Rory Bannerman, defending, said his client had been drinking and the man bumped into him twice on the dance floor.
“He turned round and butted him, which he sees as a ridiculous thing to do, in the sober light of day. He accepts that his conduct was disgraceful and that alcohol is no excuse,” he added.
Grant was also sentenced to a 12-month community payback order with 135 hours of unpaid work and alcohol counselling.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond warned Grant: “I am giving you one final opportunity to do something about your violent behaviour. Any breach and you know the consequences.”
REPORTS ON HUNGRY THIEF
A thief stole from a supermarket, claiming he was hungry.
Barry Hayward, 32, of Howdenbank, Hawick, pleaded guilty to stealing food, light bulbs and a razor from Sainsbury’s in the town’s Commercial Road on March 8. The stolen items, worth £26.89, were recovered.
Iain Burke, defending, said: “He said that he was hungry and had no food in the house. He took these things in a moment of madness.”
Hayward also admitted stealing two bottles of whisky from B & M Bargains, Croft Road, Hawick, on July 31.
Sentence was further deferred until January 9 for reports.
“A point has come where, if you fail to keep your appointment, I will remand you in custody for the preparation of the report,” warned Sheriff Kevin Drummond.
HOUSEBREAKING BID CHARGE
A Hawick man appeared in private, charged on petition with attempted housebreaking in the town.
Scott Fairley, 45, of Earl Street, made no plea or declaration and was released on bail.
He is alleged to have attempted to break into a house with intent to steal in November.
SENTENCE DEFERRED
A woman who assaulted her ex-husband’s new partner had sentence deferred until January 9 for reports.
Debbie McCracken, 31, of Grieve Avenue, Jedburgh, admitted repeatedly punching the woman on the head and body and pulling her hair, to her injury, at a house at Bleachfield Road, Selkirk, on June 6.
Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said the victim was the accused’s former husband’s partner.
He added: “They had split up and both had started different relationships.”
Mr Fraser said McCracken had been “argumentative” with the woman and eventually “lost the place”.
He went on: “She got hold of her hair and began repeatedly punching her to her head and face.”
He said the woman tried to defend herself and ripped the accused’s top in the course of the assault. “After being pulled away, she attacked her again,” he continued.
The woman suffered swelling, cuts and bruising, and was distressed.
“Her face was X-rayed, but there were no fractures,” Mr Fraser added.
Defence solicitor Lisa McNeill said there had been “ongoing issues” between the accused and her ex-husband’s partner, and her client “snapped”.
“She says she was provoked, but overreacted,” Ms McNeill told Sheriff Kevin Drummond.