A 21-year-old Ross-shire man who failed to carry out all 200 hours of unpaid work imposed in August 2023 for a late-night brawl where he pulled out a 20cm knife was fined £2500 at Inverness Sheriff Court instead.
Mateusz Dymarski, of Millbank Road, Dingwall was one of three men who were dealt with by Sheriff Robert Frazer in August 2023 for the June 9, 2022 incident in Farraline Park bus station in Inverness.
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He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work.
But when Dymarski, who pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour and possession of the knife, appeared before Sheriff Gary Aitken to admit breaching the order by only doing 56 of the hours, his solicitor advocate Clare Russell explained: “He was prioritising his paid work instead.”
She asked the court to impose “a substantial fine” as an alternative due to the fact there had been no further offending by her client.
Sheriff Aitken reluctantly agreed, but added: “You had better stick in to your paid work. You will need it.”
Dymarski will pay the financial penalty at £100-a-month.
Inverness Sheriff Court had previously watched CCTV footage of the incident which started at about 11.30pm on June 9, 2022 in Farraline Park when 20-year-old Glasgow man Jordan Cumming picked up a waste bin and threw it in the direction of Dymarski.
There was a struggle with former Inverness man Cumming, during which punches and kicks were delivered before they walked away towards Rose Street.
The fight resumed and both men were pushing and shoving before Dymarksi pulled out the weapon from his waistband and brandished it, swinging it towards Cumming but not making contact before it dropped to the ground.
They could then be seen walking away.
Fiscal depute Susan Love told Sheriff Frazer: “The fight continued but then ended with the two shaking hands and walking away.
“Police were alerted by the camera operator and attended to arrest them shortly afterwards.”