A man was left with black eyes “like a panda” after being assaulted by a colleague following a night of bar banter in Keith.
Gerard Ingham appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court and admitted attacking his colleague earlier this year.
The 39-year-old windfarm worker – from Liverpool’s Dam House Crescent – had been drinking with his victim in the bar of the Fife Arms in Keith during the evening of June 30.
Banter turned violent at Keith bar
Fiscal depute Victoria Silver said the night had begun with some “banter back and forth” between the men.
She said the victim “described himself as being drunk, but aware and in control of himself”.
“Shortly after midnight,” Ms Silver continued, “witnesses observed Ingham trying to shake hands with the complainer.
“But he refused to do so.”
The court heard that Ingham reacted to this rebuttal by pushing his co-worker towards the front door of the premises.
Other customers recalled hearing “a thud” and then saw Ingham punching the man.
Ingham admitted repeatedly punching his victim in the face. A charge of also punching him to the body was dropped.
Gerard Ingham jammed victim into a corner
Ms Silver said: “A further witness described [the complainer] as being unable to defend himself – as he was jammed into a corner by Ingham.
“Someone else came to the aid of [the victim] and they described him as having ‘big black eyes – like a panda’.”
The injured man was taken to Dr Gray’s hospital in Elgin and kept in overnight but was released with no permanent damage or broken bones.
‘Serious bruising’
Ms Silver added: “Just serious bruising on his face.”
Ingham’s defence agent, Matthew O’Neill, said his client had no previous convictions, however, Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov interjected: “There is a conviction of possessing Class A drugs from Liverpool Crown Court.”
Mr O’Neill apologised and went on: “He normally keeps his head down.”
Ingham still works in the Keith area and is still working alongside the man he assaulted, Mr O’Neill told the court.
He said: “They had both consumed a significant amount of alcohol and had been having a conversation back and forth. It was initially good-mannered but later ended in an argument.
‘Tried to shake hands’
“Mr Ingram tried to shake hands on it and let bygones be bygones, but [the complainer] refused. Mr Ingham then acted in a manner that he should not have done.”
Mr O’Neill said there had been no further issues between the men since the incident in the early hours of July 1 and Ingham was still in full-time employment at a windfarm.
Sheriff Pasportnikov fined Ingham £1,275 and ordered him to pay in full within 28 days.
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