A GOUROCK man attacked a young child and a woman to the danger of their lives during years of alleged violent abuse, prosecutors claim.

Marc Cox is said to have committed a catalogue of serious assaults during a period spanning six years between January 2009 and December 2014.

Prosecutors claim that the 47-year-old made death threats towards a number of children and also choked a woman on various occasions and held a knife to her neck.

It is alleged that Cox - who is facing a trial before a jury at Greenock Sheriff Court - rendered the woman unconscious by restricting her breathing.

He is further charged with, while being under the influence of alcohol, repeatedly seizing the steering wheel of a car while the vehicle was being driven by the alleged victim.  

It is claimed that Cox pulled at the wheel causing the car to repeatedly swerve while four children were in the back of the vehicle.

It is alleged that on separate occasions, Cox grabbed the woman by the head and threw her to the ground, seized her by the hair and pulled her from a garden into a property while she was pregnant, struck her to the body and threw her to the ground, and struck her head off a door.

READ MORE: 'Danger to life assault and knife chase' accused man set for jury trial

He also allegedly grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up a flight of stairs, pinned her against a wall, choked her again, lifted her by the neck and threw her against household furniture, while it is claimed he chased her and repeatedly grabbed her on the body, all to her injury and danger of life.

The alleged attacks are said to have taken place at addresses in Greenock and Wemyss Bay.

A second charge claims that between Boxing Day and December 27, 2010, Cox assaulted a young child by grabbing them by the neck, compressing it, and pinning them against a wall, all to their injury and danger of life.

Cox, of Cardwell Road in Gourock, is also charged with aggressive behaviour, shouting, swearing, uttering threats to kill the woman and the children and destroy household items between October 2010 and December 2014.

His solicitor, David Tod, maintained his not guilty pleas at the latest calling of the indictment case.

Sheriff James Spy continued proceedings to a trial scheduled to begin on February 19.