A Fife man who punched his “bullying” security guard colleague in the face and chipped his tooth for calling him “fat boy” has been granted an absolute discharge.
Stuart Crichton appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to assaulting a colleague by striking him to the face to his injury and disfigurement at Babcock Rosyth on August 29 last year.
Prosecutor Aimee Mason told the court previously Crichton, 31, and his victim had been manning security gates and the complainer said to Crichton “all right, fat boy”.
The fiscal said: “The accused has taken offence to this and struck the complainer in the face.”
The fiscal said he went to hospital, adding: “He was then required to attend a dentist and had a chipped front tooth, which required composite bonding.
“There was also a small chip in another tooth which needed a filling”.
After being charged, Crichton, of Mackinnon Place, Dunfermline, said: “People were aware of bullying I had received from him.”
‘Heat of the moment’
Because of the effect on his client’s ability to work in security, defence lawyer Pete Robertson argued for an absolute discharge, which would mean no conviction being recorded.
He said Crichton had reported “a course of bullying for being fat” which had “boiled over on that day”.
He said his client was regularly called “fat boy” – more than twice a week – for a couple of months.
The lawyer said: “On that day he had gone in, the complainer called him ‘fat boy’… he told him this is not funny and the guy says it is hilarious and he struck out.
“He accepts he should not have done it but it was in the heat of the moment”.
Absolute discharge granted
Mr Robertson said Crichton has no previous convictions.
He has an honours degree in exercise, science, coaching and development and could have been a volunteer football coach but has not been able to as he must have clean disclosure.
Crichton had been working at the time for GeoAmey or G4S, contracted by a major corporation in Rosyth to do checks and identification at the docks.
Mr Robertson said Crichton has had an SIA (security industry authority) licence since 2020 which allows him to be a door supervisor and to transit cash but his work could be in jeopardy.
Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon had asked for evidence of the effect of a conviction on Crichton’s employment.
An email was produced about a job offer with a transport firm based at Edinburgh Airport, which would require clean disclosure.
Sheriff O’Hanlon, in the circumstances, granted absolute discharge.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
