A Fife thug kicked a teenage boy to the ground, throttled him and pretended to stab him.
The boy had entered Dervish takeaway at Anstruther’s marina to warn people inside that John Carr had been ranting about a knife.
When he left the Turkish kebab shop, Carr charged at him and kicked him to the ground before brandishing his weapon.
Carr, who will be sentenced next month, was told by a sheriff his conduct was “very significantly aggravated”.
Shore furore
Fiscal depute Stephanie Paterson told Dundee Sheriff Court: “At 10.10pm, The witnesses were stood at the car park side of Shore Street in Anstruther opposite Dervish.
“They saw the accused standing on the road, shouting and swearing at a male at the doorway of the takeaway.
“Due to the accused’s behaviour, they began to film on a mobile phone.
“The witnesses heard the accused shout “come out,” “fat b*****d” and “I’m gonnae kill you, I’m gonnae stab someone.”
“Both thought the accused was holding a knife, or similar.
“The male entered the takeaway. The accused left the vicinity.
“The complainer crossed the road and walked into the takeaway to warn people inside that the accused had been holding a large knife.”
As the boy left, he came face-to-face with Carr, who ran towards him and kicked him in the stomach, knocking him to the ground.
Carr grabbed the boy by the throat, restricting his breathing, and waved the knife close to his head, pretending to stab him.
Ms Paterson said the boy was “petrified” and ran home once Carr left.
‘Very significantly aggravated’
Carr, of Randolph Street in Buckhaven, pled guilty to assaulting the teenager on March 29 in 2024.
His victim is too young to be legally identified.
He admitted that on Shore Street, he kicked him in the stomach, seized him by the throat restricting his breathing and brandished a knife.
Carr, 43, admitted this left his victim injured.
He also pled guilty to possessing the offensive weapon in public.
Sheriff Gregor Murray deferred sentencing until April 24 for reports to be prepared and issued Carr with a firm prison warning.
He said: “I’ll make it clear to you, this offence was very significantly aggravated by being carried out against a 14-year-old.”
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