An Inverness hairdresser was ordered to pay an assault victim £800 in compensation after she punched the woman on the nose in a city bar.
The attack happened in Lauders bar in Church Street on October 22, 2022 and 33-year-old Beth Morrison, of Drynie Terrace, was due to stand trial.
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But a guilty plea was agreed between fiscal depute Karen Poke and defence solicitor John MacColl prior to witnesses being called at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Ms Poke told Sheriff Gary Aitken that Morrison was socialising in the bar, as was the complainer with her friends.
“The accused was being argumentative and as the complainer was leaving, Morrison ran up to her and punched her on the nose,” she said.
“The woman was taken to Raigmore Hospital where she was treated for a bruised nose and a puffy face. She was off work for two days.”
Mr MacColl told the court: “Her recollection of this is not particularly good and the court will know the reason why. Her perception was that something unpleasant was said to her which resulted in her losing her decorum.
“A couple of years ago she was a more regular attender in court but she has her life back on a more even keel.”
Sheriff Aitken noted that Morrison had a number of previous convictions for assault and assault to injury.
He told her he would have fined Morrison £800 but decided to order her to pay compensation instead.
He went on: “What you need to get past is relying on substances and resorting to violence. It is unusual for a young woman [to have] so many convictions for assault and assault to injury.”