A talented young tennis player’s career was in doubt last night after he was convicted of punching a teenage girl in the face.
Scott Fraser’s dream of going to the USA to pursue a coaching job there were left in ruins when he was fined £320 by Sheriff Margaret Neilson following his guilty plea to breaking his 16-year-old friend’s nose in a fit of temper.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard yesterday that Fraser, 21, let his friends into his car after a party at Maryburgh Village Hall last December because it was cold.
But he got angry when he discovered they had trashed the inside of his car – which he had planned to sell to finance his trip to America.
The talented coach, who, according to his Facebook page, has worked at Inverness Tennis Academy and the Elgin Lawn Tennis Association, and lives in Tain, has a photograph of himself and Judy Murray as his profile picture on the social media site.
Last night, he said: “It was a genuine mistake. It’s something I regret and wish I had never done.
“I could not go to America because the embassy disallowed it, but there is still a chance. There is still a job over there for me. I am discussing it with the American embassy”.
Fraser, who has been playing tennis since he was aged 13, added that he has been a fully qualified tennis coach for a year, holds level 3 coaching badge and is fully licensed by the Lawn Tennis Association.
At Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday, Depute fiscal David Morton told how a group of Fraser’s friends were waiting for a taxi and he allowed them into his car which was parked at the Free Church car park in Seaforth Road, Maryburgh on Deceber 20 last year.
Mr Morton said Fraser started shouting at everyone to get out of his vehicle when he saw the state it was in.
The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was putting her shoes on in the back seat and she was punched on the nose, because Fraser thought she was further damaging his car, the court heard.
“Her nose began bleeding immediately and he ran away. She was taken to the accident and emergency unit at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. Doctors concluded the cartilage in her nose was dislodged and she attended hospital twice but attempts to reset the cartilage were unsuccessful.
“Now a specialist believes that her nose was in fact broken by the punch and she will require an operation to correct it.” Mr Morton went on.
Patrick O’Dea, defence solicitor for Fraser of Mayfield Wynd, Tain said his client allowed a number of people into his vehicle because of the low temperatures that night and when he returned the vehicle was a mess.
“It was due to be sold so he could go to America to pursue his career as a tennis coach. His parents had valeted the car to sell it on.
“It seemed he misunderstood what was happening when the girl failed to get out of the back seat and thought she was damaging the vehicle with her shoe.
“He ran off, shouting he couldn’t believe he hit her but he returned and told the police what happened.”
Mr O’Dea went on: “My client has no previous convictions, and had acted responsibly, giving his keys to a sober friend so he would not be at risk of being in charge of his vehicle while intoxicated.
“People do not automatically get a visa if they have a conviction of violence so this will have a significant impact on his career.He is remorseful and hopes to apologise to his former friend.”
