A VALE husband and father who smashed a bottle of booze while inside the family car has been sent to prison.

Patrick McAdam carried out the violent outburst while he was in the vehicle with his former partner and two children, travelling on the A82 near the Lomondgate roundabout on December 3.

McAdam appeared for sentencing last week after pleading guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

Fiscal depute Alasdair Shaw told Dumbarton Sheriff Court that McAdam and his ex had been in a relationship for 10 years, and that though they were separated at the time of the incident, McAdam’s former partner had been allowing him to stay at the family home.

Mr Shaw said 31-year-old McAdam had an addiction to alcohol and had lapsed back into drinking after three years “dry”.

McAdam had left the Royal Alexandra Hospital the previous day after being admitted for “alcohol-related issues”.

He woke up later that day, “still intoxicated”, prompting his ex to ask him to leave.

“He agreed,” Mr Shaw told the court, “but wanted more drink.

“The complainer took him in her car to drop him somewhere, and it was while she was driving that he became aggressive, hitting the passenger door with a glass bottle, smashing it and spraying the contents over the inside of the vehicle.”

McAdam’s solicitor acknowledged his client, living at Grant Crescent in Renton, had “significant issues with alcohol”.

“Work pressures and personal issues putting a strain on his relationship caused him to relapse,” the agent said.

"He is deeply ashamed but can offer little more than apologies.”

McAdam appeared in the dock from custody, having been jailed on December 6 for similar, though unrelated, offences.

Sheriff William Gallacher said:“With hesitation I have decided that the increase in your sentence should be limited to two months, consecutive to the sentence that you are otherwise serving.”