A LOUT battered his brother and left him with a black eye in a drunken family fall out after a day at the races.

Sean Donnachie admitted assaulting his sibling by repeatedly punching him on the head and body, causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head, and kicking him on the body to his injury.

The 26-year-old had been at Ayr Racecourse for a day out with family members on September 17 last year before the incident took place.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court was told last week that alcohol had been consumed by the party throughout the day before they got a taxi back to a property in Irvine.

The procurator fiscal depute told Thursday's (March 9) hearing: "At the home, the accused became argumentative with his father and the complainer put him outside to calm down.

"After 10 minutes the complainer went outside to speak to his brother but he then lashed out at him with punches and kicks.

"The complainer suffered a black eye and some abrasion to his head when he struck the ground."

Police received an anonymous call later that evening reporting a disturbance in the street - and Donnachie was eventually traced nearby.

Describing the incident as "a drunken family fall out", defence solicitor Simon Brown said his client has a previous conviction for assault but the most recent matter is "at an end now".

Mr Brown said: "He made his apologies and they made up.

"He is, of course, very remorseful."

Sheriff Nicola Patrick told Donnachie: "Having listened to everything that's been said and having been assured that a line has been drawn under this I am inclined to impose a financial penalty but you simply cannot behave like this."

Donnachie was fined £400 plus a £20 victim surcharge, payable at a rate of £20 per week.