A COUNCIL workman putting up Christmas street lights in Dunfermline was struck by a disabled man swinging a walking stick.

David Mitchell, from Dunfermline, had been drinking and became irate, apparently about the van’s flashing lights and it being parked partially on a pavement.

Mitchell battered the van with his walking stick and when one of the workmen confronted him, he was struck on the arm.

Mitchell, 68, of Fodbank View, appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court, where he was fined £270.

He admitted that on October 13 last year, at Chalmers Street, he repeatedly shouted, swore, struck a van with his walking stick, causing damage to it, and brandished the stick whereby the worker was struck to his injury.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said council workers were putting up Christmas lights at around 11pm when the incident occurred.

The two men were in a hydraulic lift cab and their vehicle had its yellow warning lights flashing when it was parked partially on a pavement.

They heard shouting coming from a man with a walking stick. He was telling them: “Get those f****** lights off.”

He then struck the bonnet of the van with his walking stick, causing dents. Mitchell continued with his antics, hitting a side panel of the vehicle.

The workmen lowered their cab to see what was happening and were confronted by Mitchell swinging his walking stick and striking one of them on the arm.

“He then raised his walking stick above his head, lost balance and fell over. When the workers tried to help him up, he was again aggressive towards them,” added the depute.

Police were called and found Mitchell to be under the influence of alcohol. An ambulance was called when he slumped suddenly to the ground but he was found to have nothing wrong with him.

After being charged, Mitchell said: “Rubbish, they assaulted me. They grabbed me, an invalid.”

Defence solicitor Ian Beatson said: “He has little recollection of the matter. He says he remembers being on the ground with the council workers on top of him.”

Sheriff James MacDonald told Mitchell: “These two complainers were simply carrying out their employment for the local authority.

“You not only acted in this manner, you then made allegations against them which could have imperilled their employment. You should be ashamed of yourself.”