A Forfar father and son have been dealt with by a sheriff after meting out summary justice to a pal they believed had stolen hundreds of pounds from them during a house party.
William Sturrock, 63, and his 39-year-old son David suspected the man had taken around £700 from them when they were all drinking together in January 2017.
When David Sturrock then saw him in the street he launched a sustained attack on the victim, with his father also wading in with punches to his head.
The duo appeared in the dock before Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown at Forfar where they each admitted a single charge of assault following the incident at the junction of Langlands Road and Taranty Road in the town on January 16 last year.
Depute fiscal Stewart Duncan told the court the attack began around 5pm when the man was making his way home and was seen by David Sturrock.
“He called him over and, without warning, began to punch him repeatedly on the face. The complainer tried to escape but was taken to the ground by Mr Sturrock,” said the fiscal.
Passers-by shouted to Sturrock to stop the assault, but he continued to kick his victim, telling him: “You did it, I ken it was you,” the court heard.
The fiscal added: “William Sturrock then appeared from a flat, he accused the complainer of stealing the money and began to punch him on the face.”
The victim suffered minor injuries and declined medical treatment, the court was told.
Defence solicitor Nick Markowski said: “The victim was, and still is, a friend. There had been a party at Wiliam Sturrock’s house and a large amount of money, between £500 and £800, had been taken.
“Everyone who was at the party came under suspicion.
“On the day this happened the victim had been drinking and David Sturrock had been drinking, they saw each other, there was a bit of shouting and thereafter the assault occurred.
“William Sturrock’s initial involvement was to try and get his son away, but he lost his temper. He regrets his part in this – he hasn’t been in trouble for a long time.
“David Sturrock was last in court in relation to an assault in 2000 and he would apologise to the court for the way he treated the complainer, who is someone he would consider a very good friend.
“He recognises that he shouldn’t have taken the law into his own hands.”
Sheriff Martin-Brown fined William Sturrock £225.
David Sturrock was placed on a one-year Community Payback Order with a requirement to carry out 135 hours of unpaid work.
