A row over the amount of money people could put into a fruit machine when it was due to pay out led to a man being assaulted in a Tayside pub.
At Forfar Sheriff Court, James Twaddle, 22, admitted punching William Grant on the head, which caused him to fall to the ground.
The assault took place at the British Legion on Helen Street, Arbroath, on November 9 last year leaving Mr Grant requiring a visit to hospital.
The court heard the assault was the result of a disagreement about fruit machine “etiquette”.
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said: “At 7.30pm Mr Grant visited the fruit machine. Then the accused and an unknown male started to use the machine.
“Members of the bar staff described Grant as being in an agitated state while watching the two males on the fruit machine.
“A short time later, the accused’s father approached Grant and words were exchanged.
“Twaddle then approached Grant and said ‘you are causing problems’ before punching him on the face.”
Ms Drummond said an ambulance was called for Mr Grant and he was taken to Arbroath Infirmary where he was treated for a cut under an eye.
Twaddle, of Elm Brae in Arbroath, attended the town’s police station the following day.
Defence agent Nick Markowski said the incident led to Mr Grant and Twaddle both being banned from the British Legion for six months.
He said: “An argument started about the etiquette of the bandit machine.
“Twaddle’s parents keep an eye on the machine and know roughly when it’s due to pay out.
“When it’s like that people play £5 at a time and a queue gathers around the machine.
“There was an argument with the complainer who was under the influence of alcohol. In his police statement he said the man who struck him was in his late forties.
“The injuries he sustained were superficial.”
Sheriff Gregor Murray sentenced Twaddle, who has two previous convictions for assault, to complete 80 hours of unpaid work within six months, reduced from 100 hours because of his early plea.