An RAF serviceman has been ordered to pay compensation after he admitted swinging punches at a woman as she waited at an Elgin taxi rank.
Elliot Higginbottom, 20, appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court and pled guilty to assaulting the woman, who was a stranger to him, but could not say what had triggered his violent behaviour.
The court heard how Higginbottom tried to swing punches at a woman as she waited for a taxi on Elgin’s High Street in November last year.
Higginbottom, who is stationed at RAF Lossiemouth, pled guilty to the assault and to a further fight with two nightclub bouncers, who stepped in to help the woman.
Unprovoked attack
Fiscal depute Shay Treanor told the court it was in the early hours of November 19 when Higginbottom launched his attack.
He said: “[Higginbottom] was on a night out, as was the woman – they were unknown to each other.
“She was waiting for a taxi home, when – unprovoked – [Higginbottom] swung punches at her repeatedly. She tried to defend herself and none of the punches landed.”
Mr Treanor then told the court two bouncers from a nearby nightclub then became involved and “engaged with the accused”.
“There was a fight between all three men,” he continued. “The police were contacted and he was arrested and taken to Elgin police station.”
Night out ‘descended into chaos’
Higginbottom’s defence agent Grant Dalgleish said his client had served in the RAF for four years and lives on the base.
“It was a night out that descended into chaos,” Mr Dalgleish explained. “This is not mitigation. He does not know what triggered this behaviour.
“He said on arrest ‘I don’t know what came over me’ and he wants to pass on his apologies to all the civilians involved.
“He will be punished by the RAF and he is a first offender.”
Sheriff David Harvie ordered Higginbottom to pay compensation to the woman of £200, plus £100 each to the two bouncers, giving him four months to pay.