A ROSYTH man twice assaulted a police officer called out after a family row escalated into a physical struggle.

The dispute initially broke out over cigarettes with Grant MacPherson getting into a tussle with his sister and then her partner.

MacPherson, 36, of Queensferry Road, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on December 27 at Irene Hughes Drive, Rosyth, he struggled with his sister and her partner.

He also admitted assaulting a police officer by forcibly closing a door on his arm and elbowing him in the face.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said MacPherson became angry when his sister returned to the house without cigarettes for him.

She had gone to her mother’s home to pick up her children.

“He became aggressive then grabbed her and there was a struggle between the two of them,” the depute continued.

Her partner, who had been outside, re-entered the house on hearing the commotion to find the brother and sister struggling with each other and their mother trying to split them up.

MacPherson then became embroiled in a struggle with him and the police were called.

Two of the children present in the house were so distraught that they were physically sick,” added the depute.

When officers arrived and tried to arrest him, MacPherson attempted to flee the scene.

He ran out of the living room, slamming the door shut on the arm of the pursuing officer who “thought his arm had been broken, such was the pain”, added the depute.

MacPherson then grabbed on to a fence and lashed out with his elbow, catching the same constable on the face and causing a black eye.

Defence solicitor James Moncrieff said his client had “consumed alcohol to excess” on this occasion and had mental health issues at the time.

Sheriff James MacDonald told MacPherson: “These are nasty offences.”

He imposed a community payback order with 180 hours of unpaid work and 18 months supervision.