Teenager in court for hitting man in groin with potato

A POTATO throwing teenager who hit a man in the groin with his recklessly thrown spud appeared at court today.

Seventeen-year old Paul McQueen of Clovenstone Gardens, Edinburgh, had pled guilty previously to culpably and recklessly throwing potatoes from the balcony of a block of flats in Clovenstone Park on August 8 last year.

One of the potatoes hit James O'Hare in the groin and he had to be treated by paramedics.

Today at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, McQueen was admonished after a report from a children's hearing. Sentence had been deferred until today.

McQueen had been hurling the potatoes at someone on another balcony when one of them hit Mr O'Hare in the groin.

Fiscal Depute, Michael Stewart, said: "This caused Mr O'Hare so much discomfort that he called an ambulance and was treated by paramedics".

McQueen told police he had been on the balcony "for a fag" when someone came out with potatoes and asked him if he wanted to chuck them. "I said OK" said the teenager.

After reading the report from the children's hearing, Sheriff Michael O'Grady admonished McQueen.