Court told of man being knocked unconscious in street assault

A man enjoying a night out was viciously assaulted in an unprovoked attack as he walked down the street with a friend, Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard.

Dominik Biernasiuk, 35, of Factory Road, Cowdenbeath, admitted that on May 1 last year in High Street, Cowdenbeath, he assaulted his victim by punching him on the head, causing him to fall and rendering him unconscious, all to his injury.

Depute-fiscal Azrah Yousaf said the complainer, who had been at a party consuming alcohol, did not know the accused although he recognised him as a customer in a shop he works in.

“The party finished at 1am and he decided to go out to a nightclub with a friend,” he noted. “They were walking up the street when they were approached by two males acting aggressively. The accused’s behaviour caused them the most concern.

“They were told to go away but refused and the accused then punched the complainer on the face. He was knocked to the ground, rendering him unconscious. His friend saw blood coming from his ear and phoned an ambulance.”

He was taken to hospital, had cuts to his face stitched, and was found to have a ruptured ear drum.

Defence solicitor John Bain said: “He had a huge amount of drink and can’t remember anything at all.”

Sheriff Richard McFarlane told Biernasiuk: “This is a serious matter and you can tell me nothing about it because you had far too much to drink.”

The sheriff called for reports and Biernasiuk will return to court to be sentenced on February 15.