A 30-year-old delivered a final kick to a kneeling man’s head in a Fife pub fight after his target had struck him and his girlfriend with a pool cue.
Corrie Inglis left his victim unconscious following the attack outside Mollys in North Street, Leven, on January 14 last year.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court was shown CCTV footage of the man collapsing onto the road after the savage kick.
Inglis appeared in the dock to plead guilty to the life-endangering assault.
He was told he could avoid prison because he had not instigated the fight.
Hit with broken pool cue
The court heard the fight broke out in the pub and spilled onto the street at around 11:30pm.
Prosecutor Sarah Smith said the complainer armed himself with a pool cue, which was snapped in half, using it to strike Inglis from behind on the top of his back.
He also struck Inglis’ girlfriend with the broken cue, the court heard.
The footage showed the fighting continuing before Inglis’ girlfriend appeared to lead her man away, with the complainer still on his knees on the road.
The fiscal depute said: “The accused walked back and kicked him on the head and caused him to fall back and lose consciousness.
“He was left unconscious on the middle of the road.
“A taxi driver stopped to assist and put him in the recovery position.”
Police arrived at around 11.45pm and the complainer, described in court as being a hostile witness, was taken to hospital by ambulance.
The prosecutor said she did not have any updates on his injuries.
‘No ill-will’
Defence lawyer David Bell said Inglis, of Station Park, Lower Largo, accepts he caused significant injury but pointed out the complainer was not blameless.
The solicitor said Inglis had been sitting in the bar and became aware of the man – a stranger – “effectively seeking trouble with him” and was unclear why.
Mr Bell said his client, an agricultural worker who has been jailed in the past, was attacked and “utterly regrets” his actions at the end of the fight.
The solicitor asked the court to consider getting a background report to inform non-custodial alternatives.
He said Inglis had told him he has not offended since and not been drinking for a year.
The lawyer added: “Mr Inglis bears no ill-will.
“He is angered (the complainer) chose to bring a weapon in to a pub fight.
“He knows his final actions go beyond anything that could be justified in any way.”
Final kick landed accused in dock
Sheriff David Hall told Inglis: “The only reason you are here is because you went back and delivered a final kick.
“Had you not, it may be the matter may not have come to court at all.
“It’s clear from both the Crown narrative and from CCTV that (the complainer) attacked you within the pub and then outside the pub.
“He not only struck you from behind with a pool cue but also struck your partner.
“For all these reasons, I’m not convinced you should necessarily be sent to custody for this matter”.
Sheriff Hall deferred sentencing until August 20 to obtain background reports and Inglis’ bail was continued.
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