A farmer who broke his best friend’s nose after he brought a girl back to their hotel from a nightclub only for his pal to start kissing her has been spared jail.
Jamie Finlayson dodged a prison term after his lawyer told a court: “Hell hath no fury like a farmer scorned.”
The brawl broke out after the accused and former pal Michael Bradfield enjoyed a night out in Dundee on December 14 2013.
When later that evening he spotted the complainer slipping into a toilet with the young lady he had brought back to their shared hotel room, Finlayson opened the door and punched his friend once on the nose, causing it to gush with blood.
Mr Bradfield went to Ninewells Hospital but his face was so swollen that it was the following day before doctors could establish that his nose was broken and reset it.
Finlayson, 29, of Middleton Farm, Crieff, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of assault to severe injury.
George Donnelly, defending, said: “It would appear hell hath no fury like a farmer scorned.
“They were best friends for 15 years but the day after this he contacted Mr Bradfield to apologise and was told not to contact him or his family ever again.”
Sheriff Elizabeth Munro imposed a community payback order with supervision for one year, ordered Finlayson to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and ordered him to pay his victim £1,000 compensation.