A BUST-UP while drinking with friends cost a 32-year-old man £600 at Jedburgh Sheriff Cpourt.

Tempers frayed when Mariusz Norek was accused of infidelity with his wife.

A struggle developed between the two men at Norek's home in Galalaw Road, Hawick, during the early hours of March, with the accused stripped down to his bare-chest.

Police arrived on the scene and he was arrested but when in a police vehicle he lashed out with his feet breaking a rear window causing £500 damage.

Graham Fraser, prosecuting, explained: "The accused and his friends were socialising at the accused's home address on the night of March 2 going into the early hours.

"Drink was taken and this affected all their behaviour.

"The accused became increasingly aggressive and made abusive comments.

"A struggle developed between him and the witness and this continued in the street.

"In the course of this struggle the witness suffered bruising to his knee and thumb.

"The police arrived and found that the accused was bare-chested and he was arrested for assault.

"He was put in a police vehicle and warned about his conduct. "But he kicked out with his foot against the rear window breaking it causing £500 worth of damage."

Defence lawyer Stephanie Clinkscale said the disturbance started when the witness confronted her client alleging him of infidelity with his wife.

She explained the witness started shouting at the accused along with his wife and matters deteriorated from there.

Ms Clinkscale said Norek had lost his job as a machine operator after breaking his finger and was currently doing odd jobs earning £50 a week as he did not want to claim benefits.

She said the Polish national had been in Scotland for the last four or five years and was normally in employment.

She added: "He has very little memory from that evening. But he accepts his behaviour was unacceptable.

"Tensions had been frayed and he is no longer associated with the other man."

Sheriff Kevin Duffy said Norek was appearing in court as a first offender and accepted the offences "were out of character" saying the accused was "otherwise a law biding citizen".

Norek was fined £200 for the disturbance at his home and ordered to pay £400 compensation to Police Scotland for the broken window.

Not guilty pleas to five other charges were accepted by the Crown.