A 'PHYSICALLY impaired' assault victim had his legs swiped by an attacker before being punched in the face outside a Greenock supermarket.

Robert Temporal injured the man after following him near the Tesco store on Dalrymple Street last July.

Temporal, 36, appeared for sentencing at the town's sheriff court having been convicted of the offence, as well as breaching a bail order.

The court heard that the complainer was alone and walking past the shop on the afternoon of July 16, 2022 while Temporal was near the entrance.

A procurator fiscal depute said: "The accused stood outside the main entrance to the shop and waited for the witness to walk past him then followed him in the direction away from Tesco.

"Upon realising he was being followed the witness made his way back to the shop.

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"His walking is restricted due to a physical impairment and the accused caught up with him and took a swipe at his right leg causing him to fall to the ground."

The fiscal depute said the victim's right forearm and wrist took the brunt of the fall.

The prosecutor added: "The accused walked around him and struck him with his fist to his face and shouted at him.

"The victim sustained cuts and bruises to his arm and wrist as a result of the assault."

Temporal, of Brachelston Street, also breached a bail order on November 9 last year after being told not to approach or contact four people.

His solicitor, Aidan Gallagher, told the court: "It had been reported to him that a family member had been assaulted by the complainer.

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"It was a chance meeting and he accepts that he lost his temper.

"There was a comment made to him and he then perpetrated the assault."

Mr Gallagher noted that 'violence does not seem to be a common feature' in his criminal record, but added that Temporal is currently on supervision and an unpaid work order for a previous matter.

Sheriff Craig Findlater described the assault as a 'somewhat troubling matter' for the court and said that while Temporal has a lengthy record there were no directly analogous offences.

Temporal was told to complete 55 hours of unpaid work within 12 months, on top of his existing community payback order.

He was also fined £180 for the bail breach offence to be paid at £20 per week.