A man who struggled with a pensioner who accidentally bumped into the back of his Range Rover “let things get out of hand”, a court has been told.
James Morrison, 35, confronted the 72-year-old man who had pranged the back of his car while trying to park outside Keith Motorist DIY store in the town’s Mid Street.
The pensioner ended up on the ground after Morrison caught him seemingly trying to rub marks off the back of his black 4×4 following the collision on January 8 2020, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh said the man “inadvertently collided” with the car and got out to check for damage when Morrison’s wife got out of the Range Rover and told him to “stay there” while she got her husband from inside the shop.
‘Conducted himself in a disorderly manner’
“She has returned with the accused and pointed the man out to him,” the fiscal added.
“He has approached him and conducted himself in a disorderly manner and thereafter engaged in a struggle with him. Thereafter the man has fallen and the accused has pulled him back to his feet.”
She said the elderly man took 15 minutes to recover and police arrived a short time later.
Morrison, of Moselea, Aultmore, near Keith, admitted a breach of the peace charge by behaving in a disorderly manner and struggling with his victim.
Defence agent Stephen Carty said Morrison thought the pensioner was trying to buff away evidence of a prang.
‘Things got out of hand very quickly’
“He thought he was trying to wipe away any marks and things then got out of hand very quickly,” the solicitor said.
“The man ends up falling to the floor and Mr Morrison helps him to his feet.”
Mr Carty suggested that given the amount of time that has passed since Morrison tried to plead guilty to a lesser charge the “process enough has been punishment for him” and asked for an admonishment.
However, Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov told Morrison: “I take into account you are no longer facing an assault charge, but engaging in a struggle with a 72-year-old man over a car is unacceptable.”
She fined him £520.
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