An army man slapped a fellow pub-goer after flying into a rage during a discussion about post-traumatic stress disorder.
Cameron Stephen travelled from Perth to Macduff to go drinking with a friend but the night descended into violence.
Stephen, 26, had been talking to another customer at The Old Moray on Shore Street about being in the armed forces and mentioned PTSD.
When the man “expressed understanding”, Stephen snapped back “you don’t understand” and lashed out, slapping the man several times on the face.
Pub attack
Fiscal depute Lydia Williams told Aberdeen Sheriff Court Stephen was acting in an “obstructive” manner when he entered the pub at around 8.30pm on November 17.
He approached a pair sitting at the bar and began talking about his military career.
Mrs Williams said: “The complainer felt, initially, while talking to the accused that they were getting on.
“The accused spoke with him about PTSD, to which the man expressed understanding.
“The accused became angry and said ‘you don’t understand’ before slapping the man to his right cheek and then left cheek several times.”
Police were called and when attempts were made to apply handcuffs, Stephen started to struggle, tensing his body and pulling away.
Eventually, he had to be restrained on the floor.
‘Rape threats’ to police
During the journey to the police station, Stephen verbally abused officers and made vile threats.
Mrs Williams told the court Stephen shouted at officers he was “going to rape your mum and dad”, although Stephen does not accept that he used the word “rape”.
He did, however, make sexual threats and swore, calling officers derogatory names.
Stephen, of Atholl Street, Perth, pled guilty to assault, resisting, obstructing or hindering police and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Defence agent Michael Burnett said his client had been going through a “difficult time”.
He said Stephen was asked by a friend to travel to the area to go drinking with him, something which he knew was a “bad idea”.
Mr Burnett described the assault as an “open-handed slap” and said the struggle with police was “relatively brief”.
He highlighted his client had also spent a weekend in custody over the matter.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin ordered Stephen to be supervised for a year and complete 60 hours of unpaid work.
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