A MAN involved in a mass brawl outside an Inverkeithing pub has narrowly avoided a prison sentence after a review.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court was told that Michael Peacock had not been able to carry out unpaid work due to back pain, but his solicitor said he had made a "miraculous" recovery over the last few weeks and was back completing his order.

Peacock, 31, of Fraser Avenue, Inverkeithing, previously admitted that on October 8, 2016, he did whilst acting with a woman, assault a female, seized her, dragged her to the ground and repeatedly kicked, stamped and struck her on the head and body.

He also struck her on the body with a crutch or similar implement to her injury.

Peacock also pleaded guilty to assaulting another female and kicking her on the body.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard last year that the fight broke out on High Street and continued for over five minutes until the police arrived.

The incident was caught on CCTV and Peacock was charged along with two other women.

Sheriff McSherry had warned the trio when he sentenced them that custody was at the forefront of his mind.

However, Peacock was placed on a community payback order with 300 hours of unpaid work and a restriction of liberty order for six months.

When explaining his client's difficulty in completing the order, defence solicitor Stephen Morrison said the situation had improved so much in recent weeks that he was now attending unpaid work.

"He is still on medication for his back pain, but his doctor told him to go and try completing some hours," Mr Morrison said.

"He has also managed to get back into paid work."

Sheriff Craig McSherry extended the order by nine months to allow Peacock time to complete the unpaid work order.