Fineafterattackincitycentrepub

A scaffolder who attacked a customer in a Perth city centre pub was taught an expensive lesson when he appeared at the Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said “the penny clearly hadn’t dropped” that he should not continue to get involved in such violent incidents.

And he told 39-year-old Andrew Nicol: “I will deal with you by imposing a significant financial penalty - but it will be pitched at such a level that the penny will drop.”

He was fined £1500 after he admitted an amended charge of assaulting Richard Walker by pushing him to the ground then repeatedly punching him on the head in Dickens Bar, South Street, on January 27, 2018.

He had originally been charged with repeatedly kicking and punching the victim to the head and body.

Despite fiscal Michael Dunlop told the court that a number of people had been drinking in the pub.

About 1am there was an argument which led to “heated exchanges”.

“Mr Walker became involved in an altercation with one of the accused’s colleagues,” stated the fiscal.

“He was pushed to the ground and repeatedly punched on the head by the accused.”

A solicitor for Nicol said: “He became involved when he shouldn’t have and regrets that.”

Imposing the hefty penalty, Sheriff Foulis noted that the accused did not come before the court “with an unblemished record”.

Nicol, of The Croft, Kintarlity, will pay the fine at £100 a week.