A DOG owner who pushed an angler into the sea after claiming the man had kicked his puppy has been ordered to pay compensation.
Anthony Kearney grabbed hold of sea angler Steven Raeburn by the t-shirt and shoved him over rocks into the choppy waters of the Firth of Forth.
Kearney, 56, believed Mr Raeburn had kicked his golden retriever and acted violently in retaliation during the incident at Granton, Edinburgh, in July 2019.
The angler denied he had kicked the puppy and said he was just stopping the dog raiding his bag full of fish.
Details of the unusual incident were heard at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday as Kearney pleaded guilty to assault.
Sheriff Frank Crowe said that the attack was “a totally disproportionate reaction” and sentenced Kearney to pay Mr Raeburn £1,000 in compensation.
Prosecutor Alan Wickham told the court that Mr Raeburn was fishing at the breakwater at Granton Harbour at about 3.45pm on July 16, 2019.
The sea angler spotted Kearney, of Bruntsfield Crescent, Dunbar, and a friend walk towards him with the retriever pup off its lead.
The dog made for Mr Raeburn’s fishing bag and he stepped in between the pet and his bag to stop it eating his catch.
Kearney then confronted Mr Raeburn, believing he had kicked the dog away from his bag.
Mr Wickham said: “The accused grabbed Mr Raeburn by the t-shirt and both began to struggle.
“The accused pushed the complainer off the breakwater over the rocks and into the water.
“Mr Raeburn climbed out of the water and was hanging onto the rocks.
“The accused grabbed him again and pushed him off the rocks.”
Mr Raeburn suffered “back abrasions” after landing in what was said to be “shallow water” and Kearney and his friend walked away.
The court also heard that Kearney took the angler’s phone during the incident and it was subsequently found nearby.
Solicitor Nicola Haston said that her unemployed client had reacted badly after “hearing his dog yelp” and believed that Mr Raeburn had kicked his pet.
Ms Haston added: “He completely just lost it and should not have acted that way.
“He just saw red and acted in a manner that was unacceptable.”
Kearney pleaded guilty to assaulting Steven Raeburn by seizing him by the clothing, repeatedly pushing him on the body, causing him to fall backwards over rocks into open water and thereafter pushing him off the rocks into the water to the danger of his life, as well as robbing him of his phone at Granton Harbour, Edinburgh, on July 16, 2019.
He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, acting in an aggressive manner and uttering threats of violence.
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