A DRUNK man hurled homophobic slurs towards a table of women in a 24-hour fast food restaurant at 3.30am.

Bryan McGowan stood up and targeted the diners for abuse at the Port's new McDonald's outlet.

The 20-year-old — whom Greenock Sheriff Court heard is 'deeply ashamed' of himself — also shouted at staff.

Prosecutor Jennifer McKee said: "Workers became aware of the accused as he shouted over at staff.

"He stated, 'Are they your staff? They need to be put on a leash'.

"The accused then stood up and pointed to each individual at a particular table and swore.

"He also said, 'The lesbian party, that's the lesbian table'.

"The accused stated that the group all had sex with each other."

The court heard how McGowan, of Moss Road in the Port, later struggled with police after they arrived to arrest him.

Fiscal depute Miss McKee said: "He pulled his arms away and pulled backwards as he was being taken to the police vehicle and also made his body stiff when attempts were made to place him in the vehicle.

"He was not cautioned and charged due to his level of intoxication."

McGowan pleaded guilty to a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and uttering homophobic remarks.

He committed the offence on March 24.

Defence lawyer Fiona Cook told the court: "Mr McGowan was highly intoxicated.

"He is a 20-year-old single man whose record is modest and he has never appeared at sheriff court level.

"He is deeply ashamed by the was he has behaved, has expressed remorse and is very anxious about what might happen to him."

Sheriff Andrew McIntyre told McGowan: "This might have been a slightly unusual thing for you to have done but what marks it out is the homophobic nature of the abuse that you subjected these people to.

"You went way over the line and homophobic remarks are something that we do not tolerate and the court must take a strong view of such offences.

"However, I have to keep things in proportion and take account of your lack of record also."

The sheriff deferred sentence until August 21 for McGowan to be of good behaviour, telling him: "I will consider imposing a fine at that stage."