A CARDENDEN father and son have been ordered to do unpaid work after being found guilty of violent assaults during a brawl outside a pub.

At a trial last month, Alexander Stewart Dickson, 56, of Denfield Gardens, Cardenden, was found guilty of assaulting Suzanne McCormack, by punching her on the head, causing her to fall to the ground and thereafter punched her on the head at Station Road, Cardenden on July 16, 2017.

He was also convicted of a charge that he assaulted Brian Milne by punching him on the head, causing him to fall to the ground, rendering him unconscious and thereafter punched and kicked him on the body all to his severe injury and impairment.

Dickson senior and his son, Stewart George Dickson, 32, of Main Street, Cardenden, were both found guilty of a charge that they assaulted Darren Haxton, by struggling with him, seizing him by the arm, repeatedly punching and kicking him on the head and body and threatening to kill him, all to his severe injury.

The trial had heard that one man sustained a broken arm, another suffered a fractured jaw and a woman was punched when trouble erupted outside the Central Bar.

The son, Stewart Dickson, was already involved in a fight when his dad, Alexander, arrived in his car and assaulted three people.

Dickson Snr's solicitor, Gordon Martin, said there was a background between his client and Darren Haxton. After receiving a phone call where his son voiced concerns that a fight may break out, he went to collect him.

"He was roused from his sleep to go and collect his son," he said.

"When he arrived at the scene, there would have been a melee ongoing outside the public house.

"It was something akin to a bar brawl outside a pub in a Western movie. He became involved in trying to help his son and accepts he went beyond what he should have done."

Solicitor for Dickson Jnr, Stephen Morrison, said his client was initially defending himself.

"It seems to be genuinely wholly out of character for him to behave in this way. He accepts responsibility for becoming embroiled in this particular manner. He accepts he reacted with violence and it is clear he is deeply embarrassed and ashamed by having to go through the procedure and being in Court."

Sheriff Craig McSherry ordered Dickson Snr on a community payback order with supervision for 12 months and a requirement to do 300 hours of unpaid work within nine months.

He said: "I note with some regret that you show absolutely no remorse for the part of causing the injury to Mr Haxton and, as a result, I would have thought it would be deserving of a lengthy custodial sentence.

"But in all the circumstances, as an alternative to custodial sentence, I will impose a maximum of 300 hours of unpaid work requirement."

Sentencing Dickson Jnr to a community payback order with a requirement to do 200 hours of unpaid work within six months, he added: "I take into account the personalities, not just your personalities but those of Mr Haxton's, his companion and indeed the very drunken other companion."