A MUSSELBURGH man who punched a stranger to the head during a Christmas night out has been ordered to pay compensation.

Gavin Inkster had been on a night out with work colleagues before he attacked Sumit Kothari at Edinburgh’s Victoria Street.

Inkster, of Delta Road, and fellow accused John Reid, from Edinburgh, became involved with a group of men and women.

An argument ensued between the groups and Inkster and Reid turned violent and punched the two men in the group to the head during the row on December 23 last year.

The court was previously told that Inkster and Reid clashed with the group, who they did not know, as they had been out on the town following Christmas drinks with the building company they work for.

Both men had previously pleaded guilty to the assault charges at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month.

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Reid, 25, was jailed for three months by Sheriff Frank Crowe at that hearing, while Inkster had his sentence deferred for reports.

The 26-year-old appeared back in the dock last Friday, where he avoided a custodial sentence and was instead ordered to carry out a community payback order.

Inkster was placed on supervision for 18 months and told he must pay Mr Kothari £500 in compensation.

Allegations of striking and attempting to strike the victims with a bottle were deleted from the charges and both men’s pleas of not guilty to possessing a bottle during the December incident were accepted by the Crown.