A Lochgelly man hit a 14-year-old boy in the face following a flare-up with supermarket staff.
Mark Berturelli was ejected from the Lauder Road Co-op in Kirkcaldy after clashing with employees.
The 34-year-old attacked the teenager outside, mistakenly believing that he had been involved in the altercation.
The shop was forced to close for two hours because staff were so shaken up, Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard.
Asked to leave
Fiscal depute Eve McKaig said: “At 5pm, the accused entered the store and began picking up items.
“Staff asked him to leave due to issues that had taken place earlier in the day with the accused.
“He became aggressive towards an employee, shouting and swearing at him.
“On hearing this, another employee approached and also asked the accused to leave.”
Ms McKaig said: “Another customer approached the accused and struck him to the face, and this caused the accused to continue his aggressive behaviour towards staff.
“The accused thereafter left the shop and approached a young male and struck him to the face.”
Issues with a self-service till
Shop staff had called 999 and Berturelli was arrested shortly afterwards.
Ms McKaig said the store was forced to close for two hours as staff were so shaken.
Solicitor Russell McPhate, defending, said Berturelli had had issues at the same store earlier that day.
He said: “On the day in question he had been in the shop with others and there was a issue relating to the self-service till, which was not his fault.
“They asked him to leave but he could see no justification for that.
“He left the shop in a bad mood.
“He thought at the time that (the boy) was the person who had hit him.”
Mr McPhate said: “He was not aware of the age of the person.
“He’s embarrassed as he’s not someone who goes about hitting children.”
Berturelli, of Francis Street, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards shop staff on February 24.
He further admitted assaulting the teenager.
Sheriff Robert More ordered him to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.
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