A woman has been fined £1,225 and ordered to pay compensation after a street brawl outside a Peterhead pub resulted in a victim’s fingernail being ripped out.
Amanda Youngson, 28, had been out drinking with friends at Peterhead’s Bar 57 on May 14 last year.
The court heard how Youngson had been thrown out of the pub and then started fighting with three women outside.
Fiscal depute Peter Finnon told the court that a “disagreement” inside the bar had resulted in Youngson being ejected.
Hair torn from victim’s head in street brawl outside Peterhead pub
He said: “She had been attending a party and had been drinking and socialising.
“A short time later the other witnesses left the pub to smoke outside and a discussion began.
“During this discussion, [one woman] was grabbed by her hair and dragged around by Miss Youngson, resulting in a large chunk of hair being pulled out of her head.
“[A second woman] was also grabbed her by her hair and dragged around the street.”
The court heard a third woman tried to intervene but in return Youngson grabbed her glasses, hitting her on the head with them.
“The security staff, by now, had been alerted and Youngson started walking away down Queen Street,” Mr Finnon continued.
Police were called and they stopped Youngson at Backgate, however she resisted arrest and admitted a charge of kicking and “struggling violently” with the two officers.
Accused’s version of events
The court heard she was handcuffed and given leg restraints after kicking the officers but had calmed down when she arrived in custody.
Youngson’s defence agent Leonard Birkenshaw said his client admitted her behaviour was “totally unacceptable” and out of character.
In Youngson’s version of events, she said it had been her friend who was fighting in the pub and she had merely gone outside to find her.
He added: “She had gone outside when she noticed her friend had blood on her face – this resulted in words being exchanged with a group of females outside and a fight ensued.
“Believing to be outnumbered, she extricated herself and walked away and, on her way home, she was stopped by police.
‘Flick rather than a kick’
“She thinks she flicked out with her foot at the officers – it was a flick rather than a kick.”
Sheriff Annella Cowan was shown two photographs of the scalp and fingernail injuries and said: “Given the nature of the offence, and serious circumstances there will be no reduction in the financial penalties.
“The injury to the complainer’s nail must have been excruciatingly painful, that used to be a method of torture – pulling out nails.”
She fined Youngson, of Geary Place, a total of £1,225 and ordered her to pay £200 compensation to one of her victims.
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