A Highland joiner has been fined £500 after admitting assaulting a man in an Inverness pub.
Paul Grant, 41, pleaded guilty at the city’s sheriff court to hitting Robert Ryan in MacCallum’s Bar on Union Street on February 2 last year.
Fiscal depute Karen Smith told the court that Grant had been drinking with friends that afternoon and after becoming separated from them had started drinking at the bar at MacCallum’s.
He got into conversation with Mr Ryan who was beside him at the bar although the men did not know each other.
At about 3.40pm they started arguing and Mr Ryan grabbed Grant’s sleeve while he was trying to get away.
Ms Smith said: “Mr Grant thereafter struck Mr Ryan using his right hand in which he was holding a glass and the glass smashed.”
Mr Ryan sustained a small cut near his left ear which required paper stitches.
Grant’s solicitor, Marc Dickson, told the court Mr Ryan turned on Grant for an unknown reason.
Mr Dickson said: “Mr Ryan initially seems to be the aggressor and Mr Grant seems to be pulling away.
“Mr Grant accepts that during the course of this taking place he lashes out with the only hand he had free.”
He said since the incident Grant had moved from Inverness to live with his parents at Rowan Crescent Dornoch.
Sheriff Margaret Neilson told Grant: “Given the degree of provocation, the references you have provided and the fact you appear to be treating this as a wake-up call I am prepared to deal with this by way of a financial penalty.”
