Facebook row led to Fife men meeting for late night fight

The confrontation was arranged when the two were at different parties and they met up to sort out their differences through violence.

The victim required to have a metal plate inserted in his jaw and is still suffering from the effects of the injury.

The incident led to Keith Annandale, 20, of Seafar Drive, Kelty, appearing for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He had previously admitted that on 28th January at Linwood Drive, Leven, he assaulted Kieran Whip by punching him on the head to his severe injury, whilst acting under provocation.

Depute fiscal Sarah Lumsden previously told the court that Annandale and the victim had both been on nights out and had gone to different house parties.

In the early hours of the morning they became involved in an argument on Facebook with challenges made to have a fight.

They met up at 4.30am and “agreed to go outside to sort out their issue,” added the depute.

There was a brief scuffle and then Annandale punched Mr Whip, who immediately felt blood in his mouth.

After attending hospital for treatment it was found he had sustained a fractured lower jaw.

This required an operation with a metal plate being inserted and he still suffers from loss of sensation in the injured area, said the depute.

Defence solicitor Roshni Joshi said, “In the weeks leading up to this incident, Mr Annandale had been receiving messages of a threatening nature from the complainer.

“On the night, threats had been made through a third party and Mr Annandale received information that the complainer would attend the house he was at to cause a disturbance.”

Sheriff Charles MacNair was unimpressed by the fact that the Crown had accepted a plea that Annandale had acted under provocation, as this only amounted to him being challenged to fight.

The sheriff told Annandale, “If you engage in fights then serious injury can be the result no matter what your original intent.

“Whilst it was an arranged fight, you didn’t have to go there and you then broke the complainer’s jaw in the course of it.”

The sheriff imposed a community payback order with three years’ supervision and 203 hours of unpaid work.