A WARRANT has been issued for the arrest of a Greenock assault thug after he failed to appear at a court sentencing hearing.

Kevin McDiarmid pleaded guilty to repeatedly kicking and punching a man to the head and body within his own flat in Jamaica Street on April 12 this year.

The 38-year-old left his victim with a cut on his face and lip, while he also suffered bruising to both of his arms and needed medical treatment at Inverclyde Royal Hospital following the attack.

After admitting to inflicting multiple injuries on the man, a sheriff told McDiarmid - who has a 'history of violent offending' - that 'anything could have happened' as a result of him booting the victim on his head.

Sheriff Colin Pettigrew told McDiarmid at a previous hearing last month: “I note your record.

“The ones that concern me are of some vintage, but nonetheless you have a history of violent offences.

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“My concern is that when someone is kicked on the head, you have no idea what’s going to happen.

“Fortunately, the injuries were on the low end of the scale.

“Anything could have happened.”

McDiarmid had a not guilty plea accepted by Crown prosecutors to a second charge claiming that he had behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm by shouting and swearing.

Sheriff Pettigrew had deferred sentence until November 1 for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report and electronic tagging assessment.

However, McDiarmid was not present for the latest calling of the case with defence solicitor Gerry Keenan offering no explanation for his absence.

Sheriff James Spy granted a warrant to apprehend him.