Kirkcaldy man’s violent attack in ‘chance encounter’ outside Tesco store

Reece McKendrick attacked someone he spotted in a “chance encounter” outside a Tesco store in Dunfermline. McKendrick, 22, of Cairnwell Place, Kirkcaldy, appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court. He admitted that on July 31, 2024, last year at Tesco, Winterthur Lane, he assaulted a man by punching him on the head and body repeatedly, causing him to fall to the ground where he repeatedly kicked him to the head, all to his injury. The attack left the victim with a “crooked” nose.

Depute fiscal Rebecca Coakley said at around 6:00pm the man was leaving the Tesco store with friends when he saw McKendrick, who began shouting towards him.

McKendrick then walked up to the male and punched him to the nose with a clenched fist. He then continued hitting him multiple times which resulted in the victim falling and hitting his head off the ground. McKendrick carried on the assault, kicking the man as he lay curled up on the ground before a passer-by intervened.

The victim went to the police station holding his head and in a distressed state. An ambulance was called but he refused to go to hospital. When he was contacted later to check on his injuries, the man said his nose was still sore and crooked but it was not thought to have been broken, added the depute.

Defence solicitor Alexander Flett said, “They are the same age and there was an issue between the complainer and the accused’s partner. There was this chance encounter and he entirely accepts he shouldn’t have behaved in this way. There are some mental issues but the offence might be seen as out of character for him. It’s something that simply that shouldn’t have happened.”

Sheriff Paul Ralph imposed a community payback order with 120 hours of unpaid work and a year’s supervision.