Unpaid work for puggie assault

A man who assaulted a publican after a gaming machine row has been ordered to carry out 170 hours of unpaid work.

Mark Patterson, 41, of Princes Court, Ayr, was also placed under supervision for 18 months.

Patterson previously pleaded guilty to assaulting the owner of the Brass and Granite in Grange Street, Kilmarnock.

And he admitted acting in a threatening or abusive manner on the same occasion in November last year.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard earlier that the offences followed a dispute over a gaming machine.

K i r s t y U rq u h a r t , prosecuting, said that the trouble started around 12.15am when the alarm on the pub’s gaming machine went off.

It was found that this had been caused by a customer putting a five pound note into it.

The publican refunded the money to the man, who was deaf, but was then confronted by Patterson.

Said Ms Urquhart: “The accused approached with a pool cue in an aggressive manner.”

The court heard that Patterson shouted: “That was the f*** ing jackpot. You have robbed him.”

He then tried to punch the pub owner, who managed to dodge the blow.

The prosecutor said: “The accused then grabbed him by the shoulder, pulled him over and kneed him to the face several times.”

Hugh Duncan, defending, said that Patterson was single and unemployed. “He thought this person had won the jackpot and the barperson had taken advantage of that and hadn’t paid out.”