A farmer lashed out at an animal welfare officer and lamped the council worker with a bucket at Orkney auction mart, a court has been told.
William Flett, 64, struck the man on the side of his face in a grievance with officialdom, Kirkwall Sheriff Court heard.
Procurator fiscal Sue Foard said the Orkney Islands Council officer is part of an ongoing investigation into the farm at Boardhouse, Birsay.
She said the council worker was “on his guard” as he was expecting Flett to be at the mart on April 14.
Flett arrived around 10am and marched up to the officer and started shouting and acting aggressively towards him.
“He was holding the bucket in one hand. He transferred it to his other hand and struck him on the side of the face with it,” Ms Foard said.
“It was so forceful that it made a loud, slapping noise as it struck him.”
Police were contacted and Flett was charged later that morning. The officer had a small cut to the side of his face.
He later complained of dizziness and severe headaches which led to him having a CT scan but he has made a full recovery, the fiscal told the sheriff.
A trial had been set after Flett previously denied the assault but yesterday he appeared and changed his plea to guilty.
Solicitor David Fairnie said Flett is single and lives on the farm where he has worked for several decades.
Mr Fairnie said what he could say by way of background to the offence is limited by ongoing proceedings.
He said that in the past a number of his cattle had been removed from the holding, although 12 of those have since been returned.
‘Agitated’ after the death of an animal
Mr Fairnie said: “Farming is very rooted in the community here and my client clearly found himself in a situation where officialdom was bearing down on him more than he would have wished.”
Flett’s views on husbandry and farm management were reflected when he entered the industry, he added.
On the day of the assault, Flett had been concerned and agitated following the death of one of his animals but he acknowledged his conduct had been unacceptable.
Mr Fairnie said appearing in court has been “painful” for Flett and he said there is very little likelihood of him re-offending.
“Something that happened in a very few seconds should be weighed against his very long and productive existence,” he said.
‘Totally out of line’
Sheriff Robert McDonald said whatever the background, Flett’s conduct was unacceptable.
The sheriff understood how he could have become frustrated with the actions of officials.
But he said: “It was totally out of line for you to react as you did to hit somebody over the head with a bucket.
“Even as a first offender, this is a serious matter.”
The sheriff deferred the sentence until March 1 for good behaviour and to give Flett time “to sort out his finances” so he could pay a fine.