A MAN required surgery for a broken jaw after a fight erupted at a stag party in Cardenden.

The victim said he was acting as a peace-keeper when he was punched by Brian Milne outside a pub.

However, there was more violence to follow and Milne also sustained a broken jaw, Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard.

Milne had admitted the assault but claimed he too suffered a broken jaw and ribs.

He previously told the court that his friend and that man’s wife were also seriously injured with fractures. Sentencing had been deferred for him to seek legal advice.

Milne, 43, formerly of Denfield Avenue, now of Glenrothes, had initially submitted a guilty plea by letter and sentence had been deferred for his personal appearance.

He admitted that on July 16, at Station Road, Cardenden, he assaulted the complainer by punching him on the head to his injury.

Depute fiscal Jennifer Graham said: “The injury suffered by the victim was a broken jaw. He required surgery and had a metal plate inserted.

“The complainer said he was standing between two men trying to defuse a fight.

“He was approached by the accused and struck once on the right side of the face. He then tried to hit him a second time and there was a struggle.”

Milne, when representing himself, said he sustained a broken jaw and broken ribs during the incident. He added: “My friend got a broken arm and his wife had a broken nose” and he described his victim’s version of events as “a fabrication”.

When he returned to court, his solicitor, Chris Sneddon, said his client had been kicked in the face and sustained a broken jaw after the initial assault.

Another witness had his arm broken after it was stamped upon and the court was told there were separate court proceedings scheduled for next month in Kirkcaldy involving others who were involved.

The solicitor admitted: “It’s a nasty incident and a serious matter.” He added: “He has now moved out of the area to avoid further trouble.”

Sheriff Pino di Emidio imposed a community payback order with 100 hours of unpaid work and also a four-month restriction of liberty order.

He told Milne: “You chose to intervene in a matter you could have stayed out of.”