MAN PLEADED GUILTY TO A SINGLE CHARGE OF ASSAULT AGAINST A CHILD
Mark Stuart, aged 23, admitted guilt to a charge of assaulting a child.According to Mr Treanor, an altercation occurred on February 6 of the previous year between Stuart’s child and another young boy.
Stuart approached the nine-year-old boy and pushed him to the ground, an incident witnessed by Stuart’s mother.
She observed Stuart near the garden gate, where he grabbed and pushed the child, Mr Treanor stated.
Thankfully, the child was not injured, but he was left upset and scared by the incident.
Police detained Stuart around 8pm that evening, during which he confirmed to officers that he had grabbed the child by the collar and pushed him down.
His solicitor, Mr Carty, mentioned that Stuart had no prior convictions except for related cases and had been absent twice from hearings at Elgin Sheriff Court.
He acknowledged that his handling of the situation was poor, The court sentenced Stuart to a £520 fine for the assault and scolded him for not attending court.
The sheriff told him that realisation after the event was not enough and emphasized that he should have known better at the moment.
She expressed understanding over disputes among children but made clear that violence towards them is unacceptable and explains the court's stern stance.
Failure to appear in court only worsened his situation, leading to additional charges.
An admonishment involves recording a criminal conviction without imposing further penalties.
Stuart, residing on Meadow Crescent in Elgin, will pay his fine in instalments of £50 monthly.
