Ice-cube battle sees bar fighters fined

AN AMERICAN who lashed out with a bottle after a row about ice being thrown was fined £500 at Campbeltown Sheriff Court.

Fines of £400 each were imposed on three others involved in the Whisky Macs fracas in the early hours of Sunday October 16 last year.

Ross Campbell Robertson, 31, of Flat 2, 25 Dell Road, Campbeltown, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening manner and fighting and was fined £400.

His brother Lorne Charles Robertson, 29, of 13B Glebe Street, Campbeltown, was acquitted of behaving in a threatening manner and fighting. He was also fined £400 after he pleaded guilty to assaulting Duncan McArthur Brodie with a can.

Before sentencing, Sheriff Ruth Anderson QC was told that Brodie, 54, of 6675 North West Coast Pacific Highway, Oregon, USA, had not appeared for the hearing.

Sheriff Anderson said that she thought the crown would have come to some arrangement to make sure Brodie attended, given his American address.

Brodie had earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Ross Campbell Robertson with a bottle.

The fourth man, Thomas Smiley, 33, of Flat 5, Strathaird Place, Kirk Street, Campbeltown, admitted threatening behaviour and fighting, and was fined £400. During sentencing, the court was shown a short video of the stramash and the procurator fiscal, Eoin McGinty, described the events leading up to the brief fight.

In the video clip, other drinkers watched the fight break out.

Sheriff Anderson said: ‘It is Whisky Macs ... they would just be worried that their drinks did not get spilled.’

Mr McGinty described the events and said that the Robertson brothers were sitting in a booth and one threw some ice-cubes towards the bar.

Smiley took exception and a scuffle broke out be- tween him and Lorne Robertson. Ross punched Smiley and Brodie struck Ross with a bottle, causing a gash which required glueing at Campbeltown hospital.

The court was told Brodie was in the country because a relative was seriously ill. Brodie has lived in the US for 17 years and had taken US citizenship.

Sheriff Anderson said: ‘Why did Smiley and Brodie not move? It’s stuff that happens in the playground. It is just men behaving badly in a public place.

‘These fines should have gone to much better use. I hope not one of you ever appears in the dock of this court again.’

It’s stuff that happens in the playground. It is just men behaving badly in a public place Sheriff Ruth Anderson