Chemist shop row over ‘rude’ comments led to street fight

An argument in a chemist shop resulted in a man being assaulted, punched and kicked in the head in broad daylight in a Dunfermline street.

Michael Gardiner, 34, of Kent Street, Dunfermline, admitted that on September 29 at Walmer Drive, he assaulted Charles McKeenan by punching him on the head and body to his injury.

Depute fiscal Alex Piper said the incident began in a chemist’s shop in East Port at around 2pm.

“The accused was in the shop speaking to a worker there,” Mr Piper said.

“The complainer overheard him speaking to her and thought he was being rude. He asked him to be more polite to her.

“The accused told him, ‘I’ll wait for you outside’. He was served, left the shop and then the complainer left as well shortly afterwards.”

Another witness saw Gardiner walking with the other man in the street before punching him, causing him to fall to the ground.

The witness went into the chemist shop to tell staff what was happening in the street and the police were called.

When officers traced Gardiner at his home later that day he had a bloodied lip. When questioned about the incident, he answered: “Self defence.”

Sheriff Charles MacNair noted Gardiner had three previous convictions for violence on indictment, including one from the High Court.

He said: “You have an appalling record. This was not a provoked assault and it included you kicking the complainer on the head when he was on the ground.”

He jailed Gardiner for seven months.