Arbroath submariner to pay nearly £10k for vicious street assault on neighbour

A Royal Navy submariner must pay almost £10,000 after breaking a neighbour’s leg with a kick during a brawl in Arbroath.

Drew Rogers pled guilty to “severely” injuring Kevin Laing after wading into a tussle outside his home.

Rogers, 19 at the time, was ordered to pay £5,000 compensation to his victim and a fine of almost as much again.

A sentencing sheriff labelled his behaviour “dishonourable”.

Single kick

Fiscal depute Calum Gordon told Forfar Sheriff Court that at 8.15pm, Rogers’ father and Mr Laing were in a scuffle outside.

Mr Laing fell to the ground and Rogers approached and kicked him on the leg, then walked away.

Mr Laing struggled to get up due to the pain he was experiencing and had to be helped back inside.

Proceedings against Rogers, 22, had previously been deserted but after an appeal, the case was re-raised and the first offender admitted assaulting Mr Laing, 46, to his severe injury on March 7 2021.

Mr Laing suffered a minimal displaced spiral fracture in his right fibula, which was not suitable for surgery.

Defending solicitor Nick Whelan said: “I’m told this is a common injury sustained by children from accidental banging.

Football dust-up

Mr Whelan continued: “There had been ongoing disputes for some time involving Mr Rogers Snr and the complainer.

“Matters had come to a head on numerous occasions – this was one of those occasions.

“There was an argument regarding a football match that day.

“Mr Rogers Jnr was not involved at that stage.

“My client came down the stairs, he saw his father being struck on a couple of occasions.

“My client has lashed out with one kick. Unfortunately that’s had consequences for the complainer.

“The matter was not reported to police until three days later.

“One would have thought that the complainer would have phoned the police that night if he thought he was an overall victim.

“The neighbours were moved by the housing association.”

‘Dishonourable behaviour’

Mr Whelan explained Rogers is a Royal Navy submariner who works on sonar duties on a nuclear submarine.

He said his client is at sea eight or nine months a year.

Sheriff Mungo Bovey ordered Rogers to pay £5,000 compensation and fined him £4,500 plus a £175 victim surcharge.

The sheriff said: “It’s a broken leg.

“I’m imposing a substantial financial penalty reflecting the seriousness of the assault with its consequences and of the dishonourable behaviour.”

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