A man held a knife at a rival’s throat as a schooldays dispute extended into adulthood.
Connor Balfour pulled the knife to warn off his enemy as their long-running feud continued, a court was told.
Kitchen porter Balfour, of Guardbridge, admitted assault and acting in a threatening or abusive manner in St Catherine’s Street, Cupar on January 29 last year.
The 22-year-old was ordered to carry out 225 hours unpaid work and placed under social work supervision for two years.
He was also placed on the Venture Trust project.
‘I’ll kill you’
Fiscal depute Lynn Mannion told Dundee Sheriff Court: “There had been issues in the past between the complainer and the accused and they had begun to argue in the pub.
“When they were outside the pub, the accused pushed Mr Balfour on the body, causing him to fall to the ground and then he (Balfour) presented a knife at his neck.”
The court was told Balfour continued to wave the knife around and said: “Don’t get big with me. I’ll kill you.”
Solicitor Ian Myles, defending, said: “He was 21 at the time and was on a night out with his friend in Cupar.
“He came across the complainer earlier in the evening in a busy pub.
“They were at school together and didn’t get on.”
Beaten up the week before
Mr Myles said: “The previous week the accused had been at a house party and had been beaten up by the accused and some of his friends.
“He was being goaded in the pub by the complainer.
“He was angry and upset about what had happened the previous week.
“He came across the complainer in the street.
“He was intoxicated and went to confront the complainer about problems from the past on the spur of the moment.
“He presented the knife at his neck to warn him off.
“He is now extremely embarrassed, ashamed and remorseful.
“His actions didn’t have the desired effect as the complainer got up and words were exchanged.”
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