A MECHANIC who punched a man and knocked him unconscious during the Lauder Common Riding celebrations has been fined £500 at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Twenty-five-year-old Jacob Tracey, from Lauder, pleaded guilty to assaulting a man and striking him to the head to his injury in West High Street on August 6.

Prosecutor Drew Long said: “The incident took place during the backdrop of the Lauder Common Riding.

“The place was extremely busy at the time of the incident. It happened in the evening and people were socialising with a large number of people standing outside one of the pubs in the High Street.

“A fight broke out and Mr Tracey became involved. He ran up to the front and was jumping about before punching [the man] causing him to fall to the ground. People said he was knocked out cold by the punch.

“People challenged Tracey on what he was doing and he responded by saying the man had started on his brother.

“The police and an ambulance were called with the man bleeding from his head and had a cut left eyebrow but declined any further medical attention.”

Defence lawyer Ed Hulme claimed it was the victim who had started the fighting in the street and threw a punch at his client’s brother.

He said: “He punched him once to the head knocking him to the ground. He knew it was a serious incident and waited for the police to arrive.”

Sheriff Peter Paterson accepted there were mitigating factors but said the consumption of alcohol was no excuse.

In addition to the £500 fine, he imposed a £20 victim surcharge.