A man who tried to goad people into fighting with him in a Moray pub then attacked another customer with a pool cue narrowly avoided jail yesterday.
Padraig Cafferkey admitted threatening and abusing fellow drinkers in Keith’s Commercial Hotel in an attempt to incite them into fighting him on September 29 last year.
The 26-year-old, of 24 Edinburgh Road, Keith, also admitted lashing out at Ian Mitchell during the same evening — hitting him on the head and body with a pool cue.
At Elgin Sheriff Court yesterday, solicitor James McKay said Cafferkey was “realistic about what options are available to the court”.
Mr McKay said: “There is a severe change to his behaviour generally. He is in a stable relationship with his partner and child and is in employment, earning about £210 a week.
“Drink was his downfall in this incident, but he has nearly stopped drinking alcohol altogether.
“Obviously a custodial sentence will bring his job to an end and it will mean he does not get to make his contributions to his partner and child.”
Sheriff David Hall said he had decided to show mercy on Cafferkey.
“It’s clear from what is contained in the report that you are making efforts to turn your life around and trying to lead a responsible life, then you became involved in behaviour like this, which set you back,” he told him.
“It’s with some hesitation that I look beyond an imprisonment sentence here.”
Sheriff Hall sentenced Cafferkey to 150 hours of unpaid work and ordered him to pay Ian Mitchell £500 compensation.
Cafferkey will also remain under supervision from the social work department for two years and was ordered not to enter the Commercial Hotel in Keith.