Kirkcaldy nightclub worker attacked by angry group, headbutted, punched and kicked

The bar worker was hit on the head with a flying glass, slapped, headbutted, chased into a staff room, kicked, punched and stamped on, Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard.

In the dock for sentencing were 50-year-old Steven Craigie, of Winding Wheel Way, Bowhill and Ben Clark, 24, of Allan Park, Cowdenbeath.

Beside them were 20-year-old Chloe Craigie, of Roberts Street, Kirkcaldy and Laihla Craigie, 18, also of Winding Wheel Way.

They all admitted that on 31st October at Society, Charlotte Street, whilst acting together they assaulted a man. They repeatedly pushed him, threw a drink over him, threw a glass at him striking him on the head with it.

They repeatedly slapped him on the head, pinned him against a wall and headbutted him.

They repeatedly punched him on the head and body, pursued him into a private staff area and forced open a private door.

They climbed over a counter in the bar area to gain access to further assault him. They repeatedly kicked and punched him when he was on the ground, repeatedly stamped on his body and threw a plant at him, all to his injury. The Crown accepted that a comment had been made before the assault but no further details were given. The court was told that Steven Craigie’s position was that something was said to his daughters by the bar worker.

Sheriff Steven Borthwick said that under the law, when a group acts together, they are responsible for offences together, although different people were doing different things in the assault.

“Each person is responsible for the acts of the group,” he told them. He went on, “This was an attack on a man at his place of work and was an outrageous incident. There was an element of provocation but not in the legal sense. Certain comments were made which led to an over-reaction on your part.” Steven Craigie and Ben Clark were each sentenced to a community payback order with 120 hours of unpaid work. Chloe and Laihla Craigie were each ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work and the latter was also put on supervision for a year.