Moray teenager gets unpaid work for two assaults in two months

A MORAY teenager who got involved in two fights in two months – leaving one child with a broken collar bone – has been ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid community work.

Makenzie Hewitson of Bynack Place, Forres was also placed under two years of social work supervision after he appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing.

The 18 year old had previously admitted assault to severe injury and an assault to injury and sentencing had been deferred for a background report by Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald.

The first offence was committed on March 13, 2022 on a grassy area on Tytler Street.

Sheriff Macdonald heard that Hewitson beckoned to a boy he encountered that he wanted to fight him and then launched into an attack with his fists and feet.

Fiscal depute Susan Love said the boy was "slammed into the ground. He said he felt an intense pain to his shoulder, was then lifted up and again punched and kicked."

When police questioned Hewitson, he at first denied he was the assailant. "It was not me."

But when questioned again later, Ms Love told the court, Hewitson claimed: "It was self defence."

The second offence occurred at Elgin's Asda Filling Station on May 14, 2022 and involved Hewitson and two other youths.

Their victim on this occasion was a 26 year old man on a bicycle.

Ms Love said Hewitson challenged the man to fight and, as he tried to cycle away, they repeatedly said they were going to knock him off his bike and take it.

"As he tried to phone the police, he was repeatedly punched to the head.

"He managed to run away into Asda with Hewitson chasing him. No medical treatment was required."