Mareel builder fined for hitting man on the head with leather belt

A Mareel construction worker who struck a man twice on the head with a leather belt was fined £300 when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court.

Kenneth Barrie, 25, of Corse Road, Glasgow, carried out the assault in a drink-fuelled incident on Victoria Pier last night. He was taken into custody until this afternoon when he appeared before Honorary Sheriff Roger MacDonald.

The court heard the complainer had been sitting on a bench in Mounthooly Street, drinking and sharing chips with a friend, when he became involved in a “heated exchange” with Barrie, who had come out of Chapel House for a cigarette.

Honorary fiscal Kathryn Gordon said Barrie’s victim left Mounthooly Street and headed down to the pier. However he was later found by police walking into the public toilets with a bleeding lip and a swollen eye.

The complainer gave Barrie’s description and accompanied police back up to Chapel House, where Barrie was identified.

Defence agent Linda Knarston said a lot of drink had been consumed by both parties. She said a bottle was thrown in Barrie’s direction while he was smoking, and he believed it was the complainer who had thrown it.

She added that, while Barrie accepted assaulting his victim, he himself was punched during the altercation. “I can vouch for the fact he has a fat lower lip, which was caused by that,” she said.

She added that Barrie’s victim had been taken to hospital and, given the “once-over”, was released. “My client has asked me to apologise to the court and to the complainer for what he has done,” she added.

Fining him, Honorary Sheriff Macdonald told Barrie his behaviour was “not tolerable” in society. “Drinking is not an excuse. People may think it is, but it’s not.”