Unpaid work for pair after Montrose High Street drunken melee

COURT: Duo assaulted 14-year-old and police officer

An Angus man and woman have been given unpaid work orders for their involvement in a town centre scuffle involving assaults on an innocent 14-year-old and a police officer.

The teenager was waiting to be picked up after attending Montrose YM when she had the misfortune to encounter Samantha Forsyth and Thomas Simpson in High Street, in April 2016.

Depute fiscal Jill Drummond told Forfar Sheriff Court the incident happened as the girl and a pal waited for a pre-arranged 9.30pm collection by her father.

Simpson, who appeared to be drunk, approached the youngster but as she moved away from him he appeared to get angry and when she turned her back he kicked her to the back of the leg.

“He then apologised and asked her to sit down. She told him she was only 14 and that her dad would be arriving imminently,” Ms Drummond added.

As she was being driven away, the girl told her father what had happened and he went back to try to find Simpson. He

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She regrets this and accepts she should not have become involved. SOLICITOR GRANT BRUCE

challenged the accused over his behaviour, and when his daughter left the vehicle she was approached by Forsyth, who got involved in a struggle with the teenager and slapped her to the face.

Other parties attempted to intervene and the disturbance was reported to police by a member of the public.

Ms Drummond then told the court that a number of police officers arrived and were met by “many drunk and uncooperative persons”.

Simpson was arrested, and on the journey to Arbroath Police Station threatened to kill himself and officers, as well as striking his head on the car window. Forsyth was also arrested at the scene after pushing a police officer.

Forsyth, 28, and Simpson, 24, both of Newton Crescent, Arbroath, appeared before Sheriff Jillian Martin-brown for sentence having previously admitted charges including breach of the peace and assault.

Solicitor Grant Bruce, for Forsyth, said: “She regrets this and accepts she should not have become involved.”

Simpson’s lawyer, Brian Bell said: “I make no attempt to minimise this offence, but it is perhaps lucky for both accused that a period of nearly two years has passed without further difficulties.”

Sheriff Martin-brown imposed a oneyear community payback order on Simpson, including 100 hours of unpaid work. Forsyth received a 12-month CPO, with a requirement to carry out 135 hours of unpaid work.

gbrown@thecourier.co.uk