A FIGHT in a Dunfermline street resulted in a man being knocked out and suffering a badly broken ankle.

The assailant, 32-year-old Lee Russell, of Furniss Avenue, Rosyth, had been provoked before lashing out with one punch.

Russell has appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court finally, more than three years after the offence.

He admitted previously that on November 9, 2018, at Kirkgate, Dunfermline, he assaulted a man, struggled with him and punched him on the head, causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head, rendering him unconscious, all to his severe injury.

The incident took place in the street outside the Life nightclub.

The court heard that the victim sustained a broken ankle and needed an operation to insert a metal plate into his leg.

Defence solicitor Stephen Morrison said the complainer had been involved in a couple in incidents with other people and his client was acting initially as a “peacemaker”.

He said his client was alarmed when he saw the man reaching into his pocket for something and he thought this might be a weapon.

His client had then made an “unlawful pre-emptive strike”.

After being arrested, Russell said the complainer “deserved it”. His position now was that he regretted the incident, said Mr Morrison.

He said his client was a bus driver but currently unemployed.

Sheriff James MacDonald said it had been accepted by the Crown that Russell was acting under provocation and a single blow was involved.

He imposed a community payback order with 90 hours of unpaid work.