A LOCHGELLY teenager who repeatedly kicked her 15-year-old victim on the head in an unprovoked attack at Dunfermline bus station has avoided jail due to her age and lack of record.

Sheriff Charles Macnair warned Megan Isobel Pow (16) that the offence would often attract “an immediate custodial sentence”, and that she could expect to be put behind bars if she committed further such crimes.

Pow, of Paul Street, “skelped” her victim then ran away, leaving the other teen “shocked and crying hysterically” following the attack.

Pow admitted at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday, that on on 29th March 2015 at the town’s bus station, she assaulted the teen, seized hold of her by the hair, causing her to fall to the ground, and repeatedly kicked her on the head and body.

Fiscal depute, Sarah Lumsden, said the Stagecoach Service 19 bus was heading from Ballingry to Rosyth and the victim had boarded around 7.30pm to return home.

During the journey, the girl contacted a friend by phone to make arrangements for getting on the same bus.

Pow and other passengers boarded the bus in Cowdenbeath, and Pow said to a friend she was with that she was “going to grab her, hit her and get her off the bus”.

Ms Lumsden explained, “Although the name of the person the accused was talking about was not said, the friend was aware that the accused did not like the complainer and assumed she was talking about her.” Around 8.20pm, the 15-year-old’s friend boarded the bus at Halbeath Road, and they remained seated on the bus as it pulled into the station.

Ms Lumsden continued, “They were aware that the accused and the accused’s friend were sitting to their right.

Without any warning, the accused seized hold of the complainer by her hair and forcefully pulled her, which caused her to fall to the ground and place her hand over herself for protection.

“The accused kicked her approximately four times on the head and body.

“The complainer was clearly shocked by the attack and was crying hysterically.

“The bus driver had become aware of the disturbance and saw the accused and the friend run from the bus.” An ambulance and the police were called, and officers traced Pow when they searched the area nearby. Pow said she had been the bus and that “she had skelped her”.

Solicitor, Chris Sneddon, said the social work report indicated that Pow had “exhibited behaviour typical of someone who’s being exploited by others”. He said the incident was an “overreaction to a particular situation” and that Pow, who has been diagnosed with ADHD, had not her prescribed medication at the time.

Sheriff Macnair imposed a community payback order with 18 months’ supervision and 135 hours of unpaid work to be completed within six months.

He told Pow, “Whatever your differences with the complainer, an unprovoked assault of this sort, which involved kicking to the head and body, is wholly unacceptable.

“If you kick people to the head, it’s often a matter of pure chance that the injuries are minor, serious or fatal.

“Kicking to the head is an offence which will often attract an immediate custodial sentence.

“Having regard to your age and lack of record, I’m just prepared to deal with this by way of a non-custodial sentence, but only just.

“If you commit further offences of this sort, then the chances of a non-custodial order are fairly remote.”