Foreman struck with sledgehammer

The court heard tensions erupted into violence

A labourer struck his foreman with a sledgehammer after being reprimanded about the standard of his demolition work, a court has heard.

Furious Alexander Peacock lashed out at foreman James Cairney again when he fell to the ground, hitting him on the head with the hammer and kicking him with his steel toe-capped boots.

Peacock, 33, of Gateside Avenue, Bonnybridge, in Stirlingshire, admitted assault when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month. Sentence was deferred until Friday for reports.

Peacock admitted the building site assault

Sheriff Isobel Poole ordered him to carry out 300 hours' community service.

The court had heard that the attack took place on the Caledonian Building Site, in Dalry Road, Edinburgh, in September.

An argument erupted when Peacock was criticised for failing to carry out demolition work correctly and Mr Cairney had ordered Peacock to stop work and get off the site.

Furious at being reprimanded in front of his workmates, Peacock struck out with a sledgehammer he was holding.

Mr Cairney suffered a broken nose and had 10 staples inserted in a head wound.

Defence agent, Simon Hutchison, said tension had been rising between the two men.

Peacock had been working over the weekend but the foreman found problems with the work when he returned on the Monday.

Mr Hutchison said Peacock had been standing on an insecure trestle a few feet above the ground and Mr Cairney had grabbed his ankles during the argument.

The accused, he said, had wrongly concluded that he was being dragged to the ground and hit out with the hammer.

Peacock admitted he had over-reacted, but said he had used minimal force.