A former Tayside rugby coach has admitted punching a 15-year-old boy in a dispute over a plant pot.
Mark Feighan was caught on camera swinging his right fist into the youngster’s jaw in what a sheriff described as an “extremely violent reaction”.
The 56-year-old, who was vice-president of Strathmore Rugby Club, had originally denied the assault at a communal yard in Arbroath.
But he pled guilty midway through his trial at Forfar Sheriff Court.
A not guilty plea to a second charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner was accepted by prosecutors.
Film of assault shown in court
The 15-year-old victim recorded the incident on a mobile phone.
The assault was also witnessed by his 16-year-old friend and an older member of the boy’s family.
Giving evidence before Sheriff Derek Reekie, the teen – who cannot be named for legal reasons – said he had been asked to go into the shared garden to help move the pot on May 6, this year.
The teenager said he had been asked to record what he was doing, because there had been an ongoing dispute between Feighan and the older relative.
He said he went into the garden and approached the pot, which was described as an old kitchen sink.
“The guy came to his window,” he said. “He shouted at us, he was angry and using profanity.
“He was telling us to ‘get the f*** away’ from the plant pot.
“He came down the stairs into the garden.
“I asked: ‘Are you alright mate?’.
“I got hit. He punched me on the jaw on the left hand side of my face.”
An ‘extremely violent reaction’
The court was shown video footage of the altercation. Feighan was seen clenching his fist and striking the youngster once.
A neighbour stepped in to separate the pair and police were called.
It was not alleged that the child was injured.
When the trial resumed after lunch, Feighan’s solicitor Rosie Scott submitted a guilty plea to the assault charge which was accepted by the crown.
Sheriff Reekie deferred sentence until November 17 for Feighan, of Carnegie Street, Arbroath, to be of good behaviour.
“It seems this was an extremely violent reaction over a plant pot,” he said.
“This young man did not have anything to do with (the dispute).”
