A man who decked a woman with a double punch to the face outside a Fife miners club has been told to do unpaid work.
Connor McLean’s victim landed on concrete outside Lochore Miners Welfare Social Club and ended up with bruising, swelling and a cut to her face.
McLean, 26, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing last week after earlier pleading guilty to the December 17 2023 assault to injury.
Assault caught on CCTV
Prosecutor Laura McManus told the court the woman had been at the social club in Lochleven Road with friends on the Saturday and was drinking alcohol.
McLean was described as being argumentative throughout the evening.
The fiscal depute said: “At about 1am… the accused and (the woman) were outside and engaged in brief conversation before the accused punched her twice to the area of her eye, causing her to fall backwards to the ground and hit her head off the ground”.
The court heard previously McLean fled but had been seen on CCTV.
The fiscal depute said the woman “remained on the ground for several minutes” before slowly rising and seeking help.
Ms McManus said the woman suffered “significant” bruising and swelling to her left eye, a cut to her left eyebrow, and swelling to the back of her head.
Christmas night out
Defence lawyer Amy Harley said McLean was on his Christmas works night out and had consumed “a lot of alcohol” and does not have much memory of the incident.
The solicitor said: “That said, he does fully accept his actions.
“His position is there must have been an argument throughout the night with these people.
“He was told that by people he was with – him and the complainer are not known to each other.
“He is pushed by the complainer and reacts as libelled.
“He accepts his reaction was disproportionate and unacceptable and is regretful of that”.
Ms Harley said McLean, of Waverley Place, Lochore, also tried to hand himself in to police at the time.
She said he is employed full-time with a family business and has not consumed alcohol since Christmas.
Sheriff Craig McSherry sentenced McLean to 180 hours of unpaid work as part of a year-long community payback order.
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