A Thug who smashed a half-brick into a man's face has been spared prison

Jai Sinclair, 30, masked his face and knocked his victim to the ground with the piece of masonry, then claimed later he was merely defending himself.

Sinclair fled and the injured 22-year-old man lay in Cathcart Street for 40 minutes until he was discovered by a passer-by, who called for an ambulance.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard how Sinclair alleged that the other man had threatened violence, chased him and hurled a stone at him.

But after lawman Thomas Ward indicated that he would view CCTV of the incident, Sinclair's lawyer Gordon Nicol said: "He is not in a position to dispute the version given by the Crown."

Prosecutor David Glancy said: "He found the complainer sitting in a doorway and engaged him in conversation.

"He then pulled his jacket up to obscure and cover half of his face and struck the complainer, firstly with a slap.

"The complainer got up and made off."

Fiscal depute Mr Glancy added: "The accused, with a half-brick, and again with the lower half of his face obscured by clothing, caught up with the complainer and approached and kicked him.

"He then struck the complainer in the face with the piece of masonry.

"The effect was that the complainer was knocked to the ground and injured.

"When grounded the accused remained in the area then made off."

The court heard how Sinclair had been out drinking with pals at the Old Bank Bar and at Red nightclub before carrying out the booze-fuelled assault on October 14 last year.

His victim needed three stitches to a laceration on the bridge of his nose, and a cut to the side of his nose was treated with glue.

Despite his attempt to conceal his face Sinclair was identified from footage of the attack and arrested.

Solicitor Mr Nicol said: "He has not been in trouble before and is genuinely remorseful and concerned that he allowed himself to get involved in this type of behaviour.

"He has genuine concerns regarding his mental health."

Sheriff Ward responded: "I'm not surprised, if he's drinking two bottles of Buckfast a day."

Mr Nicol said: "Drink is not the cause of his problems. He is horrified at what happened."

Reference to Sinclair having assaulted the man to injury was removed from the charge as part of a negotiated plea of guilty to striking him on the head, kicking him on the body and striking him on the head with a piece of masonry.

The court heard that he is of 'minimum risk of reoffending'.

Sheriff Ward told him: "Your problem is you were drinking to excess and you struck someone on the head with a half-brick. It was not your depression that caused you to do that.

"Were it not for elements being removed from the charge you'd be going to jail immediately.

"Your doctor says your capable of doing unpaid work, so you better do it, because this is an alternative to custody."

Sinclair, of Mearns Street, was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work within nine months.

A progress review hearing has been scheduled for January 23.