Fife man given prison warning for assault that saw victim lose tooth

A man had a tooth knocked out in an assault in Kelty, a court has heard.

Robert Patterson, 49, of Borrowstoun Place, Bo’ness, was previously convicted of assaulting a man at Cowan Road, Kelty, on December 3 2013 by punching him on the head and butting him on the head, to his injury.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard that the victim had lost a tooth in the attack.

Defence agent Gordon Martin said: “He is a man with a substantial working history and is disappointed with himself in that he is the first member of his family to incur a criminal record.”

Sheriff Christopher Shead said it was “a serious offence” and he had given consideration to imposing a custodial sentence.

He gave Patterson a community payback order with 12 months’ supervision and 200 hours of unpaid work.

He also ordered him to pay £750 in compensation.

The sheriff warned Patterson the sentence was an alternative to prison.