Mum-to-be sentenced to unpaid work after brawl

An Arbroath mum-to-be has been ordered to carry out unpaid work for her part in an early hours “melee” at a town taxi office.

Forfar Sheriff Court heard Nicole Boyd saw red when she encountered her ex and his new partner, triggering a brawl.

Sheriff Derek Reekie told the 33-year-old he was concerned about her “propensity” to get involved in trouble after staying away from it for some years.

Boyd, of Priory Crescent, Arbroath, admitted breaching the peace in Arbroath’s Millgate on April 8 last year by gesticulating in an aggressive manner and engaging in a fight.

She also pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman on the same date by punching her on the head and pushing her to the ground.

Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said the incident happened around 1.25am on a Saturday.

Police officers were flagged down by a door steward from a nearby premises who told them a disturbance was taking place at a nearby taxi office.

The court heard the incident had been captured on security cameras.

“CCTV revealed the initial part of the incident, specifically the accused engaging in an argument with her ex-partner and his new partner,” she added.

Boyd’s former boyfriend was then seen to stand between the two women in a vain attempt to calm them down.

The fiscal went on: “He failed to quell the argument and the three of them then begin arguing.”

The footage then showed Boyd and the other woman getting involved in a further altercation, which ended up with both of them on the ground.

Ms Drummond said: “There is then what can only be described as a melee, with other people piling on top on the ground.”

Boyd’s solicitor said her client was in the early stages of pregnancy, and had already spent time in custody over the matter following her failure to appear at a previous court hearing.

“She had consumed a large quantity of alcohol but does not use that as an excuse,” the solicitor said.

“She is embarrassed and apologetic for her behaviour and does not wish to be back in this situation again.”

Sheriff Reekie told Boyd: “I take on board that this was, in some ways, an incident contributed to by others.

“You have previous convictions for assault, albeit a number of years ago, but it clearly demonstrates a propensity to get involved in this sort of thing.”

Boyd was given a one-year community payback order, requiring her to complete 90 hours of unpaid work.