£500 fine for electrician who blew a fuse following trouble in Arbroath nightclub

An electrician has been fined £500 after trouble flared outside an Arbroath nightclub.

Alan Hamilton told police he had been “stupid” after getting involved in the early hours Millgate incident on July 12 in which he repeatedly punched his victim.

Forfar Sheriff Court heard Hamilton had been outside De Vito’s around 1.30 after an incident inside between him and other people.

A verbal argument then broke out in the street, leading to a struggle between the accused and the complainer, who fell into the road.

Hamilton then got up and leaned over his victim before hitting him several times, leaving him with a bruised right eye.

When arrested, Hamilton told police: “It was stupid, I’m sorry it happened.”

Defence solicitor Bob Bruce said the incident had been triggered after someone grabbed Hamilton’s brother and the accused then said he was grabbed from behind.

“He accepts what he did went beyond self defence,” added Mr Bruce.

Sheriff Gregor Murray told Hamilton: “Stupid doesn’t come near it you need to stop doing things like this because you are beginning to accumulate a record.”