Man guilty over Kelty pub brawl

A barmaid was punched on the face as she tried to defuse trouble in a Kelty pub, before a customer was put in a headlock and repeatedly punched on the side of the head.

The incident led to a trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for Alastair Russini, who denied assaulting the barmaid and customer.

He claimed he was the one who had been assaulted by being elbowed in the face and had reported the incident to the police afterwards.

Russini, 31, of Victoria Street, Dunfermline, was found guilty of three charges from the incident on April 24 last year at No 1 Goth public house on Main Street.

As well as two assault charges, he was also accused of behaving in a threatening manner by repeatedly shouting and swearing at others in the pub.

Alan Rafferty, 53, a crane driver at Rosyth Dockyard, said: “There was a bit of a fracas.

“We tried to get him out the place then he got me in a headlock and started punching me on the side of the head.”

Mr Rafferty admitted showing Russini a few karate moves but denied striking him as he did so.

Russini claimed Mr Rafferty started demonstrating the moves and elbowed him in the face.

He admitted shouting at Rafferty but said he committed no assaults.

Sheriff Craig McSherry found Russini guilty and fined him £750.