A man who was banished to Bangladesh after publicly attacking his brother was sentenced at Elgin Sheriff Court yesterday.
Raheed Ahmed, 23, admitted assaulting Hussain Ahmed in the family-owned Cardamon Spice restaurant on Forres High Street on Wednesday, November 26.
He was ordered to carry out 100 hours of community service over the next six months – but the court heard Ahmed’s relatives had already imposed a penalty of their own.
The accused’s solicitor, Matthew O’Neill, said: “An unusual aspect of this matter is that shortly following this incident my client was punished by his father.
“The family still has close bonds in Bangladesh, and his father sent him there for a period of three months to make him appreciate what he would miss out on away from home.”
He added that relations between Ahmed, of 8 Pilmuir Road, Forres, and his family had improved since he returned to Moray.
Fiscal depute Kevin Corrins revealed the events that led to Ahmed’s banishment.
He said: “On the day in question Ahmed attended the Cardamon Spice restaurant and began shouting and pointing at his brother, accusing him of ruining his life.
“He did appear to be drunk and one witness described him as ‘buzzed up’.
“He struck his brother to the face, knocking off his glasses, and followed that with a further flurry of blows.
“He was said to be ‘foaming at the mouth with anger’.”
The fiscal added that Ahmed and his brother had a further scuffle at 7.30pm that night, in the town’s Newmarket Bar.
He said: “They were pushing one another about and struggling with one another.”
Representing Ahmed, Mr O’Neill said: “My client fully accepts he had consumed a vast amount of alcohol that night, and he accepts his temper got the better of him.
“There had been difficulty between the accused and other family members living in the local area.”
Sheriff David Hall said: “This is a serious matter, involving public disorder in two separate places, and that type of behaviour is simply not acceptable.”
