Bo'ness thug spat on ex partner then dragged lad from car and bricked him in front of his mum

Mandy Jones, procurator fiscal depute, said: “It was 8.30pm and the witness was near the Scotmid store in Bo’ness. The accused left the shop and walked past the witness.

"As he did so he spat at her, connecting with the forearm of her jacket. No words were exchanged prior to or after the assault.”

Around a week later Arundel was back offending again and this time it was a more violent encounter – and it took place in front of the victim’s mother.

"The witness arrived to collect her son,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “She saw the accused standing with a large group of youths. He began to shout at the witnesses and made his way to their car.

"He went up to the vehicle, opened the door and pulled witness’s son from the car while in possession of a brick. He then struck the son with the brick. Members of the public pulled the accused away from the son, who returned to his mum’s vehicle. Police were contacted.”

Arundel told officers: “I’m not good at keeping calm.”

It was stated Arundel was 17 when the offences were committed and he had not been in trouble since.

The court heard Arundel was going through a period of distress, having lost his grandmother.

He was said to be “ashamed and embarrassed” by what he did and feels it is something he will never do again. He was deemed to be a low risk of re-offending.

Sheriff Alison Michie said: “You have pleaded guilty to two assaults – both of them very serious matters. Spitting on your former partner and then dragging someone from a car and striking them with a brick.

"You could expect to receive a custodial sentence for these offences.”

She placed Arundel, 27 Muirhead Crescent, Bo’ness, on a supervised community payback order for five months with the condition he complete 180 hours of unpaid work within 12 months and pay £200 compensation to each complainer at a rate of £100 per month.