A ROW between a couple led to an Amazon Fire stick being thrown as a weapon which left a woman bleeding heavily and in need of emergency hospital treatment.

Robert Irvine threw the internet TV device during a heated row after he refused her request to have a night in and went out drinking with a pal.

The injured woman sustained a two-centimetre cut to her forehead just above her right eyebrow in the assault.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard how a stunned Irvine, 31, was 'immediately apologetic' as blood poured from the woman's wound.

Prosecutor John Penman said: "It was their plan to stay in, but at 8.30pm the accused left, which led to an argument regarding his decision to leave.

"He returned later and during the course of a further argument he threw an Amazon Fire stick which struck the complainer.

"The complainer was bleeding heavily and went by taxi to Inverclyde Royal Hospital where she received treatment to the laceration."

Irvine, of Ailsa Road in Gourock, committed the offence on November 26 last year.

He was originally charged with causing severe injury and permanent disfigurement but this was reduced to assault to injury following discussions between the Crown and defence lawyer Gerry Keenan.

Irvine's plea of not guilty to a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, shouting, swearing and acting aggressively was accepted.

He twice breached a bail order barring him from approaching or contacting the woman, and one of those occasions was last Christmas.

Fiscal depute Mr Penman said: "The accused became hostile and swore at the police.

"Into the face of one officer he said, 'Gonnae speak proper and no' in that English accent'."

Solicitor Mr Keenan said: "There is no justification to act in the fashion he did, but there can't be any doubt that this was a spontaneous reaction to an implement being thrown at him during the course of an argument.

"To his credit his apology was instantaneous and sincere."

Mr Keenan added: "The complainer played a significant part in the bail breaches and there is no question that she wanted to resume the relationship."

Sheriff Thomas Ward told Irvine: "As far as you're concerned I propose not to send you to jail at the moment but impose a community payback order as an alternative to a custodial sentence."

Irvine has been ordered to complete 135 hours of unpaid work and must attend supervision and alcohol treatment appointments for a year.