A LARKFIELD man who kicked a young girl to injury waited until the day of his sheriff court trial before admitting to the assault.

Richard Footit's victim was in the court building ready to give evidence via a CCTV link when his lawyer negotiated a plea of guilty to an amended charge.

Footit, 36, had originally been accused of kicking the child 'repeatedly' but this was changed to a single blow following talks between solicitor Aidan Gallagher and the Crown.

The court heard how Footit had 'momentarily' lost his temper with the girl during a row over a laptop computer.

Asked by Sheriff Joseph Hughes why his client was pleading guilty at his his trial diet, Mr Gallagher said that Footit had 'found it difficult to accept' what he'd done.

He kicked the child to her right upper thigh/hip area, causing a bruise, at his Devon Road home, the court was told.

Around an hour after the 8.30am assault on September 21 last year Footit expressed deep remorse in a WhatsApp text message sent to the girl's grandmother.

In it he said: 'I am absolutely sorry for the way I reacted this morning. I was way out of me all because of a laptop. I'm so absolute gutted. So sorry.'

Footit had earlier phoned the woman and said: "I kicked her up the backside, you can report me if you want."

He voluntarily attended Greenock police office with lawyer Mr Gallagher on October 20 and was arrested and interviewed.

Fiscal depute Ms Scaife said: "He provided a 'no comment' interview, except for answering two questions.

"He was asked if he was a danger to children and replied 'no'."

Solicitor Mr Gallagher asked Sheriff Hughes not to proceed to convicting and continue consideration of the case until next month for the preparation of background reports.

Mr Gallagher said: "It was not a terribly forceful kick but it was nevertheless a kick.

"This appears to have been a very unfortunate, but isolated, incident.

"It has been a one-off and parties agree on that."

Sheriff Hughes told Footit that he wouldn't move to conviction for the time being but added: "This does not indicate the eventual outcome of this case."

The sheriff continued consideration of the matter for background reports, with the case due to call again on April 14.