A drunken man assaulted a 15-year-old boy after accusing the teenager of laughing at him.
First offender Christopher Stitt had been enjoying Selkirk’s Common Riding celebrations prior to the offence.
The 32-year-old, of Havelock Street, Hawick, admitted assaulting the youngster in Selkirk High Street on June 16.
Depute procurator fiscal Tessa Bradley said Stitt had been drinking throughout the day when he went to Stav’s fast-food outlet around 11pm.
“He sat down at a table with his wife and friends to eat and staff noticed he seemed very drunk and was slurring his words,” said Ms Bradley.
The 15-year-old and his friends came in to order food and one of them asked for the music to be turned-up. Stitt responded that he was eating and didn’t want to hear “that p**h”.
“The 15-year-old was laughing, thinking he was joking, and he then told one of the boys to get his coat and go outside with him,” continued Ms Bradley, adding: “They still believed he was having a joke and continued laughing, telling him to calm down.”
Stitt and his party left the table and began walking along the High Street, but the accused turned and headed back towards the shop.
“He approached the 15-year-old and his friends, held a clenched first to the side of his face and said, ‘You were f*****g laughing at me,’ before punching him twice on the face. He then turned, and staggered off,” said the prosecutor.
Stitt told police he thought the boys were being cheeky.
Alison Marshall, defending, said: “He believed the 15-year-old was being cheeky to staff, but fully accepts that he shouldn’t have acted as he did and is extremely embarrassed to be in court.”
Miss Marshall said Stitt, a lorry driver, had acted out of character.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond said he took account of the fact Stitt appeared as a first offender and fined him £135.