A MAN who bit a woman while she was holding a seven-month old baby was placed on a community payback order this week.

Johnathon Lawrie, of Broomhead Drive, had attempted to take the child off the woman during an argument and, when she resisted, he grabbed hold of her arm and bit it, leaving a red mark.

Appearing for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court last Wednesday, Lawrie, 20, had earlier admitted assaulting the woman at Broomhead Drive on April 9 while she was holding the child by seizing her by the arm and biting her to her injury.

Defence solicitor James Moncrieff said his client now accepts the sensible thing to have done was taken himself away from the situation.

"He appreciates what he did was unacceptable and he is remorseful for that," he added.

Sheriff Derek Reekie said Lawrie's offending background was of "considerable concern".

He told him: "This particular type of offending has got to stop. I see you have got some sort of employment just now and that seems to have been a stabilising influence. If I was to impose a custodial sentence, you would lose that."

Sheriff Reekie sentenced him to a community payback order with a supervision requirement for 18 months.