A bar manager activated his body-worn camera to record video evidence of a drunken customer turning on him during a violent outburst.
Ryan McFarlane became “confrontational and aggressive” when the barman refused to serve him alcohol in The Kings Highway, JD Wetherspoon, Inverness.
He was filmed throwing a pint at his victim, spitting in his face, and pushing him to the ground at the Church Street premises, around 5.10pm on September 6 last year.
But the 28-year-old, whose alcohol-fuelled bad behaviour was described by a sheriff as “an unpleasant incident”, avoided a prison sentence.
At Inverness Sheriff Court, McFarlane’s defence solicitor said his client – someone who lives with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – “can be fairly impulsive”.
‘Confrontational and aggressive’
McFarlane appeared in the dock for sentencing, having earlier admitted charges of threatening and abusive behaviour and assault.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir previously told the court: “The accused was intoxicated. Due to this, he was advised that he would not no longer be served alcohol.
“The accused responded by becoming confrontational and aggressive.”
Then the bar worker activated his body-worn camera before McFarlane picked up a pint glass full of drink and threw it directly at the manager.
McFarlane was asked to leave but responded by saying, “Or what?” – telling the man to shut up and calling him a p*** and a c***.
He was repeatedly asked to leave, but as he walked out of the door, he turned and spat in the staff member’s face.
The bar manager then used a ShopSafe Radio to report the altercation to the police, but McFarlane returned and chased the worker back inside the building.
“He pushed him into a display board, causing him to fall to the floor,” Mr Weir added.
Police traced McFarlane nearby and he was arrested.
‘Very genuine expression of remorse, embarrassment and shame’
Marc Dickson, McFarlane’s defence solicitor, said the violent disturbance was “an unpleasant episode” for which his client had “little recollection”.
He said McFarlane – a trainee electricity distribution worker – had been diagnosed with ADHD, meaning he “can be subject to spontaneous actions and can be fairly impulsive”.
Mr Dickson added: “Mr McFarlane genuinely wishes to apologise for the way he behaved.
“When shown the CCTV he was visibly affected. He hung his head in a very genuine expression of remorse, embarrassment and shame.
“He takes this public opportunity to apologise to [the bar manager] for what happened that day.”
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told McFarlane, of Bridge Street in Nairn, it was “an unpleasant incident” and fined him £2,375.
He also ordered him to pay £500 in compensation to the victim.
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