A man has admitted spitting on a woman during an argument in Aberdeen – but claims he only did it because she kicked him in the private parts first.
Lewis Tritton, 31, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and pled guilty to getting into an altercation with the woman as she was going to pick up her prescription at a pharmacy.
The woman claims that during the squabble, without warning, Tritton pulled down his mask and spat directly into her face.
‘I just spat in general’
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson told the court that on January 6 this year the woman was on her way to Webster’s Pharmacy on King Street when saw the accused walking with a friend.
“She caught up with that accused and all made their way to the locus,” she said.
“An exchange of words broke out, and upon arrival at the rear of the locus, the accused pulled down his facemask and spat into the complainer’s face.”
The woman contacted the police a week later, telling them that Tritton had contacted her about half an hour after the incident to apologise.
And her view was that Tritton contacted her so that she did not contact the police, Ms Simpson said.
When Tritton was later arrested by police, he replied by stating: “She followed me up the street and kicked me in the balls and I asked her to leave me alone.
“I didn’t mean to spit on her, I was just angry because she kicked me in the balls – I just spat in general.”
Tritton pleaded guilty to one charge of assault by spitting on the woman in the street.
‘An assault borne out of frustration’
Defence agent Michael Burnett told the court that following the incident his client “did call the complainer to apologise”.
He added: “It was an assault borne out of frustration.
“Despite his previous convictions, he’s been able to reign in his frustration, but unfortunately on this occasion, not enough.”
Sheriff Andrew Miller told Tritton: “This is a fairly unusual incident for a number of reasons.
“There’s a somewhat unclear background and history to the incident.
“However, it’s an unpleasant matter and you have accepted assaulting this woman by spitting on her.”
As an alternative to a custodial sentence, Sheriff Andrew Miller sentenced Tritton to a community payback order with supervision for 12 months.
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