A MAN who gave his wife two black eyes following a boozy Valentine’s night out has been cleared of ‘repeatedly’ punching her.

The term was removed from an assault charge against 35-year-old Martin Finlay as part of a guilty plea agreed with prosecutors.

Finlay — who inflicted the injuries on the woman at Greenock’s Premier Inn hotel — must now do unpaid work or go to jail.

The town’s sheriff court heard how he and his wife were both ‘highly intoxicated’ when an argument between them led to violence.

Procurator fiscal Fiona Holligan said: “He made inappropriate comments about the recent death of the complainer’s father.

“The complainer has seen red and gone for him.” Mrs Holligan added: “The accused seized her and punched her on the face.

“The complainer was taken to Inverclyde Royal Hospital and had two black eyes and injuries to her neck.” Finlay’s defence lawyer said: “It is not a case where self-defence could have been properly pled, but it was pretty close to that.

“The complainer was the aggressor in the development of this incident, although his reaction was inappropriate.” Dad-of-three Finlay, of Tontine Park, Renton, was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work within three months and placed under supervision for a year as a direct alternative to prison.