A 42-year-old Angus man who butted a teenager in the face has been told by a sheriff he had just escaped a prison sentence.
Martin Rennie will now have to pay his 14-year-old victim £250 compensation as part of an 18-month community payback order incorporating 200 hours of unpaid work for the April 28 incident in Monifieth.
Rennie and co-accused Bradley Anderson were frustrated by the group of teenagers playing football near the accused’s Beechgrove home.
A group of boys were seen throwing stones at Rennie’s house some time later, and when Anderson had later seen the complainer coming down the street on his own he surmised he was involved in the stone-throwing.
He marched the lad to Rennie’s house, where the door was locked behind him.
Rennie butted the teenager in the face, but he suffered only redness in the attack, after which the accused calmed down and showed the youngster to the door a few minutes later.
Anderson, of Wellbank Place, Monifieth, previously had sentence deferred for six months for good behaviour but Rennie returned to court yesterday for sentence following the preparation of social work reports.
“He is a man who has not got a significant record and this is his first offence of violence,” said defence solicitor Gary Foulis.
“This was a one-off and is not likely to be repeated. He has met the child’s father and they have shaken hands.
“Drink was involved and he very much regrets his actions. He understands that any offence involving a child could ultimately result in a custodial sentence.”
Sheriff Murray had told Rennie he was “entirely wrong” to take the law into his own hands.
“To assault a 14-year-old by headbutting him is a very serious offence.
“I balance that against it being one act of violence and that you have no other criminal record for crimes of violence.
“You just escaped a custodial sentence,” said the sheriff.