A pub-goer who assaulted another man did so because he’d just seen his victim assaulting a woman, a court has been told.
Mark Sweeney struck his victim’s head off the door frame in the Commercial Hotel in Keith after he said he’d earlier watched the man assault a woman in the bar.
After a “rush of blood to the head”, Sweeney, 51, grabbed his victim and repeatedly assaulted him on April 3 last year.
Procurator fiscal Sharon Ralph told Elgin Sheriff Court: “The complainer was assisting police officers with their inquiries with regards allegations relating towards his behaviour on the same day.
“At the time, he complained he had been the victim of an assault and pointed out a small laceration on the top of his head that was hidden by his hair. He remained hostile, however, and stated he had no desire for the police to investigate the matter.
“When officers watched back CCTV footage to investigate how he had sustained the injury they established he had indeed been the victim of an assault.
“The footage showed that whilst within the bar area the accused was seen to grab the complainer by the head and strike his head against the door frame multiple times.
“It appeared to have been a revenge assault due to the complainer’s previous behaviour.”
Sweeney’s victim was helped up by his brother and the pair left the pub. When police arrived Sweeney accepted full responsibility.
“He stated it was retribution for the complainer allegedly attacking females at the bar,” the fiscal added. “He was cautioned and charged.”
Sweeney defended himself in court and admitted a charge of assault to injury.
He told the sheriff he had seen the man attack a woman and so took matters into his own hands.
‘I’m not one for standing back’
“I am not one for standing back and watching women get hit and I had watched him seriously assault the owner of the pub,” he said.
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov replied: “But do you understand that you cannot take matters into your own hands? Grabbing someone by the head and bashing it against the door several times is unacceptable.”
Sweeney agreed, and added: “It was a rush of blood to the head.”
The Crown did not dispute his claims regarding why he attacked the man.
Sweeney, of Mid Street, Keith, will return for sentencing in six months and was ordered to be of good behaviour meantime.
Sheriff Pasportnikov told him: “If you stay out of trouble, in six months’ time it’s likely the court will deal with you leniently.”
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