A 19-year-old man has been fined £360 after admitting to assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Irvine.

Calum Reilly, of Kilsyth Crescent in Irvine, appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week where he admitted to punching the teen on the head to her injury outside the shops in North Vennel.

The court heard that the girl was standing outside the shops with her friends at around 1pm on May 28 of last year.

One of the girl’s friends was upset due to family problems and was crying.

Reilly approached and began throwing stones at the teen and her friends.

The girl asked him to stop as it was upsetting her friend.

When Reilly continued, the girl challenged and approached him.

Reilly then punched the girl on the face, striking her on the right cheekbone.

The court heard that police officers who attended the scene afterwards noted that the girl’s face was swollen.

Defending Reilly, solicitor Colin McLaughlin said that his client was a hard worker and that since his mother had become unwell, he was the sole provider for the family.

He also said that Reilly had been recovering from a broken jaw before the incident and that this had caused him to feel upset at the time.

Mr McLaughlin added: “As far as this is concerned it’s a local area where shops are there and children congregate there.

“There was a crowd of youths from age 14 and upwards. There was a bit of banter going on and it progressed.

“He accepts it went too far. He knows he shouldn’t have done that. It had been friendly up until that point.”

Imposing a £360 fine on Reilly Sheriff Hall said: “Your behaviour in question was totally out of order.

“To hit a 14-year-old girl as you did was certainly unacceptable.”