A PORT man who was charged with assaulting a father and son and disfiguring them had been stabbed to his neck and abdomen — but was the only man to be prosecuted.

Luke McCloy — who had been locked up on remand for five months on the matter — lodged a special defence of self-defence prior to a trial, which lasted less than 30 minutes before it collapsed.

One of Mr McCloy's alleged victims, Stewart Harrington, 30, told Greenock Sheriff Court that he couldn't remember anything about an incident at a house on the Port's Slaemuir Avenue on November 11 last year.

Prosecutor Saud Ul Hassan decided not to pursue the case any further and Mr McCloy, 25, was acquitted of attacking Mr Harrington and his father John.

The court heard that Mr McCloy — whose brother Marc was stabbed to death nearly 15 years ago — had blood 'flowing' from his wounds and that friends had tried to stem the outpouring before he was rushed to hospital.

Mr McCloy had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to shouting and swearing within Inverclyde Royal's accident and emergency department.

His lawyer Ellen Macdonald said: "The police conveyed him to the hospital and he arrived there at 2.10am, and at 4.25am he started to shout.

"When Mr McCloy saw the blood flowing from himself he was concerned at the length of time he had been waiting.

"There may have been a politer way of saying it, but because of what happened to his brother he took fright."

Ms Macdonald had told the court how her client's brother was killed in a knife attack outside a nightclub in Glasgow on Christmas Day 2003 at the age of 22.

Ms Macdonald said of the case against her client: "Stewart Harrington has given evidence and John Harrington has not.

"John Harrington was arrested but was not prosecuted.

"The only prosecution has been against Mr McCloy."

Witness Mr Harrington — who referred to Mr McCloy as being a 'mate' — told the trial: "I can't really remember what happened because I've got brain damage, and I was drunk as well.

"All I remember is waking up in hospital with stitches and staples."

Asked if he knew how he had come by his injuries, Mr Harrington replied: "Na."

Solicitor Ms Macdonald told the court: "Mr McCloy has been in custody since November, which is the equivalent of a ten-month sentence.

"He has made admissions regarding his disappointment in his conduct (at the hospital) and asks the court to consider drawing a line under this today."

"He has no matters outstanding."

Sheriff Andrew McIntyre deferred sentence on Mr McCloy until April 25 for a background report.