A father-of-three who assaulted a random 13-year-old in a north-east street following a boozy barbecue has been fined £470.
Aaron Kelman had been drinking at a birthday barbecue in Keith before he grabbed a 13-year-old boy by the throat and punched him in the face.
The 33-year-old engineer had never met the youngster before.
Kelman admitted the assault when he appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court.
Fiscal depute Karen Poke said the boy later ran to his grandmother’s for help.
She said the victim had been heard to say “shut up” to a friend moments before Kelman, a qualified engineer, grabbed his throat, mistakenly believing he had spoken to him.
“The accused held the witness by the throat. He turned his head to the right at the same time as the accused’s fist swept across the side of his face and his fist scuffed his cheek,” she told the court.
“He ran to his grandmother’s house and the police were contacted.
“He had red marks on his neck but did not need medical assistance.”
Defence solicitor Grant Dalgleish said Kelman has “no memory whatsoever” of the incident as he had been at a birthday barbecue drinking alcohol.
He added he “doesn’t normally drink that much” and nor does he usually behave in this way.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood fined Kelman, of Braco Street in Keith, £470.
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