AN ALLOA man has been told to complete 75 hours of unpaid work after assaulting a female who told him she just wanted to be friends.

Grant Ferguson appeared at Alloa Sheriff Court last Thursday, May 24, after previously pleading guilty to an amended charge of assault and a breach of the peace.

Susannah Hutchison, prosecuting, said that Ferguson and the female complainer were in a pub at around 5.30pm on February 6 of this year.

They subsequently left the pub at around 8.30pm and went to a property on East Castle Street where they continued to consume alcohol.

The complainer at some point told the 49-year-old accused that she “just wanted to be friends”. Ferguson proceeded to push the complainer who fell on to a table and hurt her wrist.

An amendment was made to the charge which omitted a section which stated Ferguson struck her on the body to her injury. The police were then called and arrested Ferguson, who gave no reply to caution and charge.

Claire McCarron, defending, told the court that her clients “behaviour and memory were affected by alcohol” as she said Ferguson was a binge drinker.

The court then heard that the accused has one analogous crime on a limited record.

Ms McCarron added that her client is keen to address his alcohol issues, although it remains unlikely that he will actually quit drinking completely.

Sheriff Christopher Shead told Ferguson, of East Castle Street, that he will be supervised for a period of 12 months and must complete 75 hours of unpaid work in six months.