A Montrose woman lashed out at a bar worker after she and her friends were refused service at a busy pub.
Zoe Cormie, 33, grabbed employee Mary Learmouth by the hair in a scuffle at the Royal Arch in Montrose.
Cormie and her associates had been told by Ms Learmouth they would not be served alcohol, as one of the group — not Cormie — had been previously barred.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard the altercation took place on a Friday night in February.
Depute fiscal Elizabeth Hodgson said: “The locus was the Royal Arch on Montrose.
“The complainer is Mary Learmouth, who was employed as staff at the time.
“At around 6.05pm on February 28 2020, Ms Learmouth was working behind the bar.
“The accused and a group of friends attended at the bar. One of the accused’s associates was barred and they were asked to leave.
“The barmaid said she would call the police.
“The accused grabbed her hair, and in self defence Ms Learmouth grabbed Cormie’s hair back.
“The scuffle continued.
“The complainer received a swollen finger but did not require medical treatment.”
Apologetic
In mitigation for Cormie, defence solicitor Nick Markowski said his client had been engaging with social services.
“She is very apologetic about this incident,” he added.
“This is a positive report before the court.
“She has been engaging with the Man Down mental health group in Montrose.
“It is a voluntary organisation and this is a positive thing she is doing, off her own steam.
“The recommendation in the report is for a community payback order and unpaid work.
“She is someone who would benefit from this.”
Sheriff Derek Reekie, sentencing Cormie to unpaid work, said: “People at their work do not deserve to be treated like this.
“You do meet the threshold for a custodial sentence, which your record as of now favours.
“I am just persuaded to give an alternative because you have been on remand and showing encouraging signs lately, and your involvement with groups is a positive.
“In these circumstances, you will be given an alternative sentence to custody.
“Attacking someone at their work is despicable.”
Cormie, of Dorward Gardens, Montrose, was given 12 months’ supervision and nine months to complete 162 hours’ unpaid work.
