A HAWICK man involved in a bust-up with housing association workers has been fined £125 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Barry Ward confronted joiners from Scottish Borders Housing Association about a layer of sawdust on his girlfriend's car outside her home in Atkinson Road, Hawick on February 20.

It had just been washed and the 42-year-old demanded £5 from them for it to go through the car wash again.

But they dismissed his request and Ward reacted angrily by shouting and swearing, acting in an aggressive manner and challenging others to fight.

He pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

However, his not guilty plea to assaulting one of the workers by seizing hold of him by the body, pulling him and attempting to punch him was accepted by the Crown.

Defence lawyer Ed Hulme said his client had been upset by the debris left by the workers in the car park area and the fact that his complaints had been dismissed.

Sheriff Peter Paterson accepted Ward of Allars Crescent, Hawick, had acted out of frustration and reduced the fine from £150 to £125 to reflect the guilty plea.