A Fife teenager has been fined £1,200 after admitting assaulting two people at a club in Shetland.
Lerwick Sheriff Court heard how Jay Fotheringham, from Lochore, repeatedly tried to regain entry to Trench on the town’s Commercial Road after being told to leave.
The 18-year-old appeared at court on Thursday to admit assaulting two people at the club on December 1 last year, while already on bail.
He seized hold of a man and struggled with him, throwing punches and aiming kicks.
He also admitted shouting, swearing and behaving aggressively at Trench and Lerwick police station.
Some of the abuse was aggravated by prejudice relating to disability.
Nightclub struggle
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the two assaults – on door staff members – took place after Fotheringham tried to regain entry to Trench in the early hours of the morning after being told to leave due to his behaviour.
He said there was an assault on a male door staff member and a female was also caught up in the scuffle when Fotheringham’s swinging arms and legs made contact with her.
The court heard how Fotheringham left the scene but came back again shouting and swearing, and had to be restrained again.
He was directed towards the taxi rank, where he was arrested by police, who had been notified of the incident, and taken to their station.
There. he was “effectively squaring up” to officers, Mr Mackenzie said, and used derogatory language towards them.
‘Worse for wear’
Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client had been in Shetland for the first time for work.
He said Fotheringham had been out with older work colleagues for a meal and suggested he may not have been as experienced as them at drinking and became “worse for wear”.
He said his temper was amplified because he did not have his phone and without his colleagues, did not know where he was or where he was staying.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank noted how Fotheringham had no previous convictions but said he was “not amused by this sort of behaviour”.
He fined him £1,000 and imposed two compensation orders worth £100 each.
Allan had suggested his client did not issue a plea earlier in the proceedings – which would have resulted in a smaller fine – because there may have been delays with accessing CCTV footage.
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