Three in dock after island hotel brawl

A brawl inside and outside a hotel on Islay ended up with three people sitting in the dock at Campbeltown Sheriff Court.

Procurator fiscal depute Kavin Ryan-Hulme showed CCTV footage from inside and outside the Bowmore Hotel on August 13, 2021, as the main part of the case for the prosecution.

Viktoras Mockunas, of 51B Jameson Street, Bowmore, and Scott MacKenzie, of 13 Kinloch Avenue, Cambuslang, Glasgow, both pleaded guilty to threatening or abusive behaviour by engaging in a fight at the hotel.

Mockunas also pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon, namely a pool cue, and MacKenzie to assaulting a person unknown by striking him on the head with a pool cue.

MacKenzie’s partner Patricia McHughe, of 7 Langa Street, Maryhill, admitted engaging in a fight, seizing hold of a glass bottle and repeatedly striking it against a counter causing it to smash, and repeatedly striking a window with an ashtray, causing the window to smash. She also admitted repeatedly attempting to strike a man with an ashtray.

Stephen MacSporran, defence agent for 38-year-old Mockunas, told the court: “Drink had been taken. He lives on the island and he has apologised, and there is no ill-will between the parties.”

Ross Jenkins, agent for MacKenzie, said the 34-yearold’s conduct that night was “out of character”, adding: “This is a man who will not be before the court again.”

McHughe’s defence agent, Paul Keenan, said this was an isolated incident, she was of good character and presented letters in her support and her medical record to the sheriff.

“Alcohol had been taken, she is ashamed of her actions and has apologised to the barman and this has been accepted,” said Mr Keenan. “It is so far out of character that she did not recognise herself.”

Sheriff Lindsay Kooner said: “The CCTV shows that her behaviour persists.”

The sheriff fined Mockunas a total of £1,400 with a court surcharge of £75; MacKenzie was fined a total of £675 with a surcharge of £40 and in the case of McHughe, the sheriff deferred sentence for the 41-year-old woman to be of good behaviour for six months and her case will be recalled on August 17.