A man who assaulted a teenage boy during an incident outside a secondary school has been fined £290.
Darren Hurrel, 21, turned up outside Larkhall leisure centre in Lanarkshire to hand out leaflets and was surrounded by a group of pupils. Footage, which went viral online, showed pupils from nearby Larkhall Academy launching plastic bottles and cans towards Hurrel as anger grew.
He lashed out at a 14-year-old boy who had sprayed liquid on him and knocked him to the ground before leaving the scene. A depute head teacher at the school had to usher Hurrel inside for his own safety while police were phoned.
Hurrel, of Rigside, Lanarkshire, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted the assault in October last year. Sheriff Michael Higgins fined the first offender and warned him he now had a criminal record.
Allegations unemployed Hurrel had punched and repeatedly kicked the schoolboy on his body were deleted from the charge by prosecutors. The court heard Hurrel had been dishing out leaflets in Larkhall town centre and had returned to his car when the pupils surrounded him at lunchtime.
Depute fiscal Daisy Bentley said: "The complainer was at Larkhall leisure centre on his way back to school having been for his lunch. He noticed a large group of school pupils surrounding the accused who was handing out leaflets.
"Members of the group were throwing things towards the accused and he swung out towards the complainer and he has then thrown him to the ground. The accused began to walk towards Larkhall train station and a large group of pupils followed after him."
Andy Iles, defending, said: "It does appear that the complainer in this case sprays a bottle of something and a fluid strikes Mr Hurrel. A large group of pupils aged between 12 and 15 were all throwing things at him and he is hit by a can and has tomato sauce thrown at him.
"He then reacts and lunges towards the boy, he swings at him and as a result the boy is knocked to the ground but it is quite clear there was a large degree of provocation. Mr Hurrel was eventually taken into the school by the depute head for his own safety."
The lawyer added: "He had been handing out leaflets in Larkhall town centre and was in the process of returning to his car which coincided with the school lunch break and he began handing out leaflets to pupils and animosity grew."
Sheriff Higgins said: "This is a very much reduced charge that you have pled guilty to. I will deal with this by way of monetary penalty but you do now have a conviction for an assault charge and if you engage in similar behaviour then I have no doubt it will not go in your favour."
Hurrel was allowed to pay the fine at a rate of £20 per month.
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