A teenager who attacked a woman in a Fife pub slipped on ice as he tried to escape police, a court has heard.
Owen Waterson assaulted his victim at the Foresters Arms, Aberdour, on December 2.
Shocked revellers saw the woman lying on the ground of the smoking area, with blood coming from one eye.
The 19-year-old then resisted, obstructed or hindered four police constables in nearby Shore Road as they tried to arrest him.
During a scuffle, he repeatedly pulled his arms away in an attempt to prevent handcuffs being applied, Dunfermline Sheriff Court was told.
Ice fall
Prosecutor Catherine Stevenson said that Waterson, of Inchview Gardens, Dalgety Bay, punched his victim once to her face, causing her to fall to the ground.
Ms Stevenson told the court: “Witnesses who saw it went outside and saw the complainer lying on the ground with an injury to her eye, which was bleeding.
“The accused was still standing beside the complainer.”
They both went back inside the premises and a call was made to the police, the fiscal depute said.
“The accused ran out of the side door on their (police) arrival and chased the accused on foot, shouting for him to stop,” Ms Stevenson said.
“He continued for 150 to 200 metres before he fell on ice.
“Officers attempted to apply handcuffs but he continually attempted to get back to his feet and tried to pull his arms away from officers.
“As a result, he was restrained on the ground and continued to attempt to break free and handcuffs were eventually applied”.
Waterson was then arrested.
Only offends with alcohol
Defence lawyer Chris Sneddon said that, in the lead up to the assault, the woman had grabbed Waterson’s hair and followed him out of the pub in an aggressive manner.
Mr Sneddon said they had been chatting beforehand and something was said.
The solicitor said his client, who is at college, does not commit offences when he does not drink alcohol.
Sheriff Charles Macnair adjourned sentencing until January 31 to obtain background reports and Waterson was released on bail.
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