A labourer chased a man with a shinty stick after finding out his partner had been unfaithful to him.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard the “red mist” descended when Martin Ross saw the person he believed was involved.
But his agent, solicitor Natalie Bruce, told Sheriff John Rafferty that the 26-year-old and his girlfriend were still together and planned to move into a house together.
Ross, of 118 Clune Terrace, Newtonmore, admitted brandishing a shinty stick and behaving in a threatening manner in the village’s Perth Road and a local filling station on August 2 this year.
He also admitted forcing open a toilet door in the garage and damaging a sink basin. He was fined £540 and ordered to pay the garage £100 in compensation.
Fiscal depute Ruaraidh MacAllister told the court: “When Ross saw the man leaving the Newtonmore Grill, he ran after him.
“His intended victim ran into a nearby filling station and quickly told the assistant that he was being pursued by another man with a shinty stick.
“He was allowed into the back shop and made his escape through the rear fire exit. But Ross came in demanding to know where he was and shouting ‘your number’s up’.
“He was prevented from going behind the counter. He saw a door next to it. It was to the toilet, he forced it open with such force that it swung open and smashed the sink basin inside.”
Miss Bruce said: “He had just learned that morning that his partner had been unfaithful and had been with the other man. A red mist came over him when he saw him.
“He remains with his partner and they will shortly be moving into a property together with their young child.”
Sheriff Rafferty told Ross: “It is a serious matter to see someone in the street, then chase them with a weapon, causing him to seek refuge in a garage and flee out a back door.
“It is the sort of conduct where a custodial sentence would be considered.
“But you have a limited record and are about to enter a new chapter in your life with your partner and child, so I will deal with it by non-custodial means.”