Caithness county show night assault leads to fine for Thurso man

A Thurso man who admitted an assault in the town on county show night has been fined £200.

There were recurring exchanges between Stuart Brown and Blair McGeachin at the Commercial Bar and then at Top Joe’s 22, on July 20, last year.

Matters came to a head with Brown (41) pushing Mr McGeachin, causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head, and repeatedly punching him. The victim was subsequently treated for a broken nose at Caithness General Hospital.

Solicitor Fiona MacDonald maintained that Brown, a scaffolder, had been provoked by Mr McGeachin “mouthing off at him and generally being abusive” during the course of the evening but added: “The accused fully accepts he should not have reacted in the way he did.”

Sentencing Brown, of Scaraben Court, Thurso, Sheriff Neil Wilson told him: “I suspect you know you should have walked away but you have accepted culpability as soon as possible.”