An Alness man has admitted hitting another man over the head with a metal pole after becoming frustrated that he could not drive his forklift past other works vehicles.
The attack happened while Duncan Hynd, 56, of 77 Kirkside, was working at the Global Energy Park at Nigg.
Hynd admitted a single charge of assaulting Ross Sutherland on June 26 last year, causing him injury and leaving him unconscious.
Fiscal depute Roderick Urquhart told the court that the incident happened shortly before 9am when Mr Sutherland was unloading a heavy anchor winch from his lorry.
The court heard that the operation had been ongoing since 7.30am and Hynd had to wait to get past in his forklift.
A number of riggers working on a heavy lifting crane were also waiting nearby as their equipment had broken down.
Mr Urquhart told the court that Mr Sutherland moved his low loader before getting out to talk to the riggers. However, the fiscal depute said there still was not enough space for the forklift.
Hynd had then walked over carrying the metal pole, when one of the riggers suggested that he should wait another two minutes to get past.
Mr Urquhart said: “Hynd then struck Mr Sutherland on the left side of his head with the metal pole, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious.
“It seems that, although it was not obviously damaged, the hard hat he had been wearing bore the brunt of the impact.”
Hynd then started walking back to his forklift, and when challenged by one of the onlookers Mr Urquhart said he “mumbled something like ‘he deserved it’, adding that Mr Sutherland was an idiot”.
Hynd had then got back in his forklift and watched as a number of people helped put the victim into the recovery position.
Hynd was asked to leave the site and later handed himself in to Alness Police Station.
Mr Urquhart said Mr Sutherland had been unconscious for up to five minutes and was treated at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for a swelling on his head behind his ear.
He was deemed to have no lasting damage but was still being prescribed painkillers as of February this year.
Hynd’s solicitor Shahid Latif told the court that his client had “snapped” under pressure of work and had also been experiencing personal difficulties.
He said: “He was under pressure in his professional life and at the same time his personal life was disintegrating.”
He said his client has since been treated for depression.
Hynd no longer works for Global and Mr Latif said he has now been offered employment on the Aberdeen bypass construction project.
At Inverness Sheriff Court, Sheriff Margaret Neilson ordered Hynd to pay a fine of £2,500 and compensation of the same amount to his victim.