Kyle Watson headbutted his 20-year-old victim before he and accomplice Marc Barron repeatedly punched him on his head in Greenock’s Kilblain Street.

Minutes later Watson — who has a string of convictions for violence, including weapons offences — vaulted a fence and attacked another man who had just walked out of a takeaway shop.

The sheriff court heard how Watson, 20, struck shortly after 11pm on 30 December last year.

Prosecutor Kevin Doherty said: “The first complainer was walking with his girlfriend when he became aware of Kyle Watson and Marc Barron.

“Both accused were heavily intoxicated and making a general nuisance of themselves.

“Watson followed the man into the bus stand and launched into a completely unprovoked attack. He headbutted him and then both he and Barron punched him.” The victim’s girlfriend ran into a nearby shop and asked staff to call the police.

Fiscal depute Mr Doherty said: “Kyle Watson told the man to ‘leave right now’ and if he didn’t said he would kill him because he didn’t want to go back to prison.” Watson attacked the second man as he left the takeaway heading for a car where a friend was waiting on him. The court heard how the thug punched the 23-year-old once on his face after trying to intimidate him.

Mr Doherty explained: “The blow was of sufficient force to knock the complainer to the ground.

“He went to Inverclyde Royal Hospital and required three stitches to his lower lip as a result of the assault.” Defence lawyer Claire Stevenson said of Watson: “He realises his behaviour was totally unacceptable. Being intoxicated leads to a pattern of offending for him that clearly needs to be addressed.” Sheriff Derek Hamilton jailed Watson, of Golf Drive, for eight months.

He told him: “There is no alternative to custody for these wanton acts of violence.

“You have a significant record, including convictions for weapons offences.” Sentence on Barron, of Glenhuntly Terrace in Port Glasgow, was deferred until next month.