A Montrose man has narrowly avoided jail for a series of offences, including drink-driving and assaulting two people.
Eoghann Thomson, 23, of Inch Terrace, previously admitted that at Castle Street, Montrose, on March 2 he assaulted a man by punching him on the head and assaulted a woman by punching her on the head, causing her to fall backwards and strike her head off a wall to her injury.
He also admitted that on March 2 at Shore Wynd, Montrose, he damaged property belonging to another by denting the bodywork on a car.
He also previously admitted that on July 14, on the A92 Arbroath to Montrose road near to Tarriebank Farm, he drove with excess alcohol (61 mics).
He further admitted that on July 14 he drove without due care and attention, at excessive speed and in contravention to the road markings which resulted in him crashing his vehicle, causing damage to a fence and crops in an adjacent field.
Addressing the assault charge, depute fiscal Hazel Anderson said a man was having friends round to his house at 3.30am when Thomson arrived under the influence of alcohol.
“Thomson tried to get into the house and was refused entry,” she said.
“On leaving he struck a woman in the face, causing her to fall backwards and strike a wall.
“She suffered swelling of the lip but didn’t require medical attention.
“A man approached Thomson to ask if he had struck the woman. Thomson then punched him on the cheek, causing him to fall over.
“As Thomson made his way away he struck the bonnet of a car parked nearby, causing a dent.”
Turning to the drink-driving charge, Mrs Anderson said police were called to the incident at around 7.30pm.
She added: “The accused was driving with a passenger. He hit an embankment and the car rolled several times before coming to a stop 200 feet from the original impact with the verge.
“Both men left the vehicle unharmed.”
Defence agent Nick Markowski said his client was heavily under the influence when he assaulted the two people.
“He had been at a nearby nightclub and had been invited back to the party but when he got there he was refused entry,” he said.
“He is quite a troubled young man. All his offending has been a result of him being under the influence of alcohol.
“In his own words alcohol mucks up his life.
“Three years ago his brother committed suicide and Thomson found him, which led to him going off the rails.
“He has a good job working offshore as a floorman. If he didn’t drink he wouldn’t be in this court.”
Mr Markowski said Thomson’s car, which cost £8,000, was written off as a result of the accident.
Sheriff Gregor Murray fined Thomson £700 and disqualified him from driving for two years for the driving offences.
He imposed a community payback order of 225 hours of unpaid work for the assaults, with this to be completed in the next 18 months.