An Angus man who headbutted a teenager over a pub “prank” has been fined.
Kevin Clark from Brechin assaulted 18-year-old Conor Maxwell when “good spirits” turned bad at the town’s Old Bolag bar last year.
The 27-year-old offshore lifeboat technician appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court and admitted the assault to injury on May 31.
The court heard the assault happened at 12.50am when another man took a hat from one of Clark’s friends.
Depute fiscal Joanne Smith said: “Mr Maxwell and a friend were next to the fruit machine in conversation.
“However things took a turn when one of the men there took a hat from a friend of the accused as a joke.
“The accused turned to Mr Maxwell, and lightly pushed the accused backwards.
“Mr Maxwell was then asked by the accused to go outside.
“Without warning, the accused headbutted him and connected with his left eyebrow.
“This caused him to fall backwards and he hit his head on the fruit machine.”
The accused then punched Maxwell on the face.
The court heard the complainer received stitches at Ninewells Hospital for a two-inch cut to his eyebrow.
For Clark, of Montrose Street, defence agent Billy Rennie said his client was annoyed by the complainer’s “over-exuberance”.
He said: “It was clearly a prank but it annoyed Mr Clark.
“Mr Clark tells me he immediately regretted it.”
Fining Clark £240, Sheriff Pino Di Emidio said: “I think you appreciate you can’t behave in this way, even if people are annoying to you.”