Two men from opposite sides of a street attack ended up in the dock together at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
A group of lifeguards who went out for a drink after a training session were attacked on their way home by another group of men and a 16 year old girl.
But the gang who ambushed the six superfit young men near the Black Bridge came off worst, Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
Nevertheless, one of the lifeguards was prosecuted for going too far and ended up standing next to one of the attackers in the dock.
Sheriff David Sutherland decided that lifeguard Struan Conners, 22, of 4a Telford Road, Inverness, should be admonished on the charge of assault when he heard the account of the events of October 16, 2014.
However, 21 year old Christopher Drummond, of 31c Kessock Road, Inverness was jailed for nine months for his role in the fracas.
He admitted two charges of assault, one on Conners and the other on Blair Corrigan as well as racially abusing a policeman after his arrest.
The 16-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons and pleaded guilty to repeatedly kicking Conners on the head, was placed under social work supervision for four months.
Fiscal Roderick Urquhart told the court that evidence in this case was unclear until the CCTV was studied.
He went on: “What does appear to be clear is that the incident involved two groups who became embroiled in a fight and that group which included Drummond provoked the incident and then came off worst as a result.
“The first group were lifeguards who had been out for drinks following a training session and were doing nothing more than heading home when they were confronted by a hostile group which included Michael Stewart and Drummond.”
Mr Urquhart said Stewart attacked Conners. A friend Kyle Richmond struck Stewart with one punch and it is accepted this was done in self defence.
“It probably broke Stewart’s jaw. It is also accepted by the Crown that whilst Conners continued to punch and kick Stewart once he was no longer a threat, initially he too had been acting in self-defence and his offence is mitigated by provocation.
“There is no suggestion any of Conners’ kicks caused any significant injury.”