DRUNK MAN WHO REPEATEDLY HIT GIRL, 3, 'DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS ILLEGAL'
2026-02-27 14:55: A 39-year-old man, who repeatedly hit a little girl when he was drunk, has been sentenced to unpaid work.Marius Raicu, an immigrant, claimed that he did not know that hitting children is illegal in Scotland.
Raicu, of Kinnell Road, Inverkeithing, appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
He admitted that on December 6, at Hill Street, Inverkeithing, he assaulted a three-year-old girl, seized and pulled her by the arm and repeatedly struck her on the body.
Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said the girl had been dropped off by Raicu at around noon for a playday at the home of another child.
At 4.55pm he returned to pick her up and “it was clear that he’d been drinking”.
The depute went on: “She was visibly scared and hiding from him.
He picked her up by the arm, her feet were off the ground.
She was screaming, ‘My arm, my arm’.” He then put her down and hit her three times on the bottom.
The family whose house she had been visiting witnessed the incident and contacted the police.
Defence solicitor Peter Robertson said: “His explanation is he comes from a different nation and didn’t know the law here.
“Clearly, ignorance of the law is no defence.
“In another country this might still be legal.
He has shown remorse and has learned a lesson.
“He’s found the court proceedings quite harrowing.
She had a nappy on at the time and was not injured.” At this point, Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon said there was no question that Raicu was just going to be admonished.
Mr Robertson said: “There will be people in this courtroom who have been picked up and smacked on the bum when they were children.” Sheriff O’Hanlon replied: “But it’s wrong.” At a previous hearing the sheriff warned: “This is an extremely concerning offence, an assault on a child.
Custody is at the forefront of my mind.” However, instead he imposed a community payback order with 100 hours of unpaid work.
He told Raicu: “The child was terrified, scared of what transpired when you turned up under the influence of alcohol.
Distress and upset were caused to the child by your actions.” --------------------------- 2026-02-26 08:27: A 39-year-old man, who repeatedly hit a little girl when he was drunk, has been sentenced to unpaid work.
Marius Raicu, an immigrant, claimed that he did not know that hitting children is illegal in Scotland.
Raicu, of Kinnell Road, Inverkeithing, appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
He admitted that on December 6, at Hill Street, Inverkeithing, he assaulted a three-year-old girl, seized and pulled her by the arm and repeatedly struck her on the body.
Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said the girl had been dropped off by Raicu at around noon for a playday at the home of another child.
At 4.55pm he returned to pick her up and 'it was clear that he’d been drinking'.
The depute went on: 'She was visibly scared and hiding from him.
He picked her up by the arm, her feet were off the ground.
She was screaming, 'My arm, my arm'.' He then put her down and hit her three times on the bottom.
The family whose house she had been visiting witnessed the incident and contacted the police.
Defense solicitor Peter Robertson said: 'His explanation is he comes from a different nation and didn’t know the law here.
'Clearly, ignorance of the law is no defence.
'In another country this might still be legal.
He has shown remorse and has learned a lesson.
'He’s found the court proceedings quite harrowing.
She had a nappy on at the time and was not injured.' At this point, Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon said there was no question that Raicu was just going to be admonished.
Mr Robertson said: 'There will be people in this courtroom who have been picked up and smacked on the bum when they were children.' Sheriff O’Hanlon replied: 'But it’s wrong.' At a previous hearing the sheriff warned: 'This is an extremely concerning offence, an assault on a child.
Custody is at the forefront of my mind.' However, instead he imposed a community payback order with 100 hours of unpaid work.
He told Raicu: 'The child was terrified, scared of what transpired when you turned up under the influence of alcohol.
Distress and upset were caused to the child by your actions.'
