A youth who battered a 14-year-old over a mobile phone will not lose out on a military career.
Theo Laudrup Wilson’s army prospects were hanging in the balance over two offences in his home town of Kirriemuir.
At Forfar Sheriff Court Wilson was fined a total of £280 for the incidents, which included a beating he gave to a 14-year-old in a row over a mobile phone.
The 18-year-old, of Sidlaw Range, pleaded guilty to assaulting the youngster on August 31 last year.
He also admitted breaking a window at a house in Shielhill Road earlier that month.
Depute fiscal Hannah Kennedy said the assault incident began with an earlier fall-out between the accused and the youngster.
“He and the complainer were known to each other and there was an altercation.”
A suggestion was made that the accused had the phone and the court heard that the boy then “perhaps unadvisedly” went to Wilson’s home.
Wilson took umbrage at the suggestion he had the phone and quickly became aggressive, punching the boy repeatedly.
The fiscal added: “That continued from the doorstep to the garden gate before the accused’s father intervened.”
The teenager sustained swelling and bruising to his face but did not require medical attention, the court heard.
The court heard the window-breaking incident had been part of an ongoing dispute between two families.
One of the women in the other family was at home and thought it was children but then saw the accused throwing stones, cracking a window.
Defence agent Bob Bruce said Wilson hoped a line could be drawn under the two cases to allow him to pursue his army career. “The complainer wasn’t particularly polite in the way he asked for his phone back, but my client went way beyond what was necessary,” he said.
“He has applied for the Paras and will start training as soon as this matter is over.”
Sheriff Gregor Murray told Wilson: “I take into account that you have managed to stay out of trouble since August.”