Teen punched girl in face in vicious attack

Ateenager who punched a girl in the face in an apparently unprovoked attack has been warned he has the “sword of Damocles” hanging over his head.

Lewis Clay had been at Silversands in Aberdour with a group of around 30 youths when he and the girl both attempted to comfort another teenager who was upset.

Shortly after this, the now 18-year-old punched his victim in the face, leaving her with a black eye and concussion.

Shocked onlookers tried to drag Clay away from the girl, who was left needing hospital treatment.

Fiscal depute Eve Mckaig told Dunfermline Sheriff Court: “At around 7pm one female was crying due to thinking she was going to be assaulted.

“This was not the case and the accused attempted to comfort her.

“The complainer also tried to comfort her and the accused told her to go away as he was dealing with the matter. There was pushing and shoving between them, with both persons being aggressive.

“This lasted about five minutes. The complainer then returned to a bench and sat down.

“The accused went over to her and without provocation began punching her in the head and face.

“Witnesses believed the assault to be a heinous thing do to – being a male assaulting a female – and

tried to drag the accused away.”

They eventually succeeded and the girl was taken to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for medical treatment.

Solicitor Elaine Buist, defending, said the fight had escalated when the girl

had pushed Clay to the ground but he accepted his reaction was “extremely poor”.

She said Clay regretted the entire incident. Clay, of Whinnyburn Place, Rosyth, admitted assaulting the girl at Silversands on March 18 last year.

Sheriff Wylie Robertson warned him: “You can now look forward for the next two months to the sword of Damocles hanging over your head by a very, very thin thread.”

Sentence was deferred for him to be of good behaviour until January.

UNPROVOKED ASSAULT: The incident took place at Silversands in Aberdour.