A drunk Scots teen knocked a man unconscious with a single punch outside a nightclub after the victim’s head slammed onto the pavement.
Evan Miller landed the blow on Hayes Ward after the pair argued outside the Le Monde venue in Edinburgh’s George Street.
The 19-year-old fled cops following the attack, injuring a policewoman after catching her in the face with a “flailing” arm.
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Officers in pursuit through the capital’s New Town finally managed to capture the apprentice electrician.
Miller appeared at the city’s sheriff court on Monday and pled guilty to assaulting Hayes to his injury and culpably and recklessly hitting Pc Lauren Watt.
Sheriff Kenneth Campbell KC told Miller that he and the victim were “both lucky” as such cases “can have horrendous consequences”.
Fiscal depute Matthew Miller said the incident took place at around 3.15am on February 13 after Miller and Hayes had a “verbal exchange”.
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The prosecutor said: “Mr Miller has punched Mr Ward to the face. As a result, Mr Ward has fallen to the ground and hit the back of his head off the pavement.
“Mr Ward lost consciousness for a matter of moments.”
The court heard the attack sparked a “furore” and members of the public who sought out nearby police.
Mr Miller said officers pursued the accused up the street and his arm connected with Pc Lauren Watt’s face as she caught him, leaving her with a swollen lip.
He said the Crown accepted this was a “flailing arm as the accused turned rather than malicious”.
The prosecutor said Miller “made good his escape” and ran out in front of traffic to evade cops. Other officers traced Miller at around 3.33am and he was taken to St Leonards police station.
Defence agent Andrew Houston said the Crown accepted his client “did not purposefully strike out at the officer”.
Mr Houston said Miller had been drinking with pals and ended up “more intoxicated than was desirable or sensible”.
The solicitor said Miller had been “concerned about (the victim’s) behaviour towards his friends” and “got his retaliation in first” by landing a “single blow”.
Mr Houston said the conviction may “scupper” Miller’s job application to work at a power plant in England due to government vetting checks.
He said Miller’s behaviour was an “aberration” and his conviction would be an “albatross” for him for many years.
Sheriff Campbell fined Miller, of the city’s Corstorphine area, £495.
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