A DRUNK Inverkeithing man entered a home, demanded money then got into a brawl with the householder – which resulted in a woman being injured.
Derek George Ronaldson, 34, was “very much under the influence” when he slammed open the door of the house, where the occupant's partner and kids were in bed.
Ronaldson admitted that on October 10 last year at an address in Spittalfield Crescent, he acted in a threatening or abusive manner, entered the house uninvited, and engaged in a fight with a man, whereby a woman was knocked to the ground. 
Ronaldson, of 41 Spittalfield Crescent, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday for sentencing.
Fiscal depute Louise Graham said the 35-year-old man had arrived home about 11pm and left the front door unlocked. His partner and two young children were in bed asleep.
Around 10 minutes later, when he was in the lounge area playing on the Xbox, he suddenly heard the front door slam open and footsteps coming up the hall.
He stood up to see Ronaldson, who shouted: “You're due me money,” and a fight broke out. The court heard that it was a fight “in which both engaged rather than any sort of eviction by the complainer”.
Ms Graham continued: “The complainer's partner heard the commotion and came into the lounge area. She was scared and shouted: 'Who is it?' and recognised the accused. 
“She stood between the accused and complainer to attempt to break up the fight, in the course of which she was knocked to the floor.”
The woman also shouted: “My bairns are in the house, Derek.” She suffered a cut on her elbow from being knocked to the floor but it was a minor injury and did not require treatment. The man went out of the house to get help and police were contacted. 
Solicitor James Moncrieff said Ronaldson was “remorseful for his behaviour” and was “very much under the influence at the time”.
He explained: “The cause was him attending the complainer's address and the complainer, not unreasonably, being quite annoyed at finding him in his property.
“The complainer had gone for him first but he fully accepts it was entirely his responsibility while under the influence of alcohol.
“The complainer's partner was knocked to the ground but it's not known by who.”
Mr Moncrieff said Ronaldson had been “annoyed that the complainer had owned him money” but added: “He appreciates this was not the time or place to raise the issue.
“He should not have entered the property uninvited and accepts the offence will be treated seriously by the court.”
Sheriff Charles Macnair told Ronaldson: “You went into this property without permission, which was occupied by the person with whom you had a dispute, and the partner and children with whom you had no dispute.
“It's not surprising he was wanting you out. It may well be he used excessive force but the cause of this fight was entirely your fault and somebody who was trying to stop it was injured.
“You have a record; it is now of some age and it's largely non-analogous but in the circumstances, I do not consider a fine sufficiently reflects the serious nature of this offence.”
Sheriff Macnair imposed a community payback order, with 225 hours of unpaid work to be completed within nine months, as a direct alternative to custody.