COMMUNITY wardens who were called to a disturbance at a house in Greenock were threatened with violence and had a metal pole brandished at them.

The council employees had to retreat to their vehicle and call for police back-up as two boozed-up louts went after them on the town's Forfar Road.

Jonathon McGill, 22 — who had been placed on a community payback order for a similar offence just five days previously — tried to run at the wardens.

But he was held back by co-accused David Woods, 20, who moments later aggressively wielded the pole.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard how McGill, pictured, had been 'hanging' out of a living room window and initially greeted the wardens by saying, 'Alright?'.

However, the mood immediately turned nasty as Woods could be heard shouting that he was going to punch them.

Prosecutor Amy Spencer said: "Both accused started shouting and swearing aggressively in telling the wardens where to go.

"The wardens returned to their vehicle due to the demeanour of the two accused.

"McGill and Woods made their way towards the witnesses and McGill swore in stating, 'Get that camera off me'.

"He attempted to run at the wardens as he shouted, 'Ah'm gonnae have them' but he was held back by Woods.

"All of this was recorded on the wardens' body cameras."

Fiscal depute Miss Spencer added: "Woods was behaving aggressively and he brandished a pole at them.

"He then concealed it up his right sleeve and made his way back to the garden.

"Police attended and immediately arrested both accused.

"It is fair to say that David Woods did not go quietly."

Woods, of Dornoch Grove, and McGill, of Branchton Road, committed the offences at around 7.30pm on April 29.

McGill's lawyer, Ellen Macdonald, said: "He drank to excess.

"His record is of fairly short compass."

Solicitor Aidan Gallagher, for Woods, said: "He has been remanded in custody since April 30

"This has been his first taste of custody, and it has been an unpleasant taste I have to say.

"He was intoxicated and accepts in hindsight that his actions were stupid.

Sheriff Andrew McIntyre told the pair: "Community wardens do an important job for the community so that people can enjoy living here."

He placed them on supervision for nine months and on electronic tags to remain within their homes between 7pm and 7am each day for 15 weeks.