A BONHILL man has been told by a sheriff to expect a significant jail sentence when he re-appears for sentence next month.

Derek Ross, 38, pleaded guilty to a series of threatening and violent offences when he appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week.

He admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear and alarm by shouting, swearing, verbally abusing and physically assaulting his former partner and uttering threats towards another man.

The court heard then how he attacked the woman, repeatedly punching her on the head, seizing her by the body, chasing her and pushing her.

Prosecutor Kevin Doherty said: “Ross and his victim were in an on off relationship for 17 years. They had their own separate homes, but occasionally co-habitated together.

“They were in the living room at [the woman’s] home address in Third Avenue on August 15, 2017. It was about 11.30am.

“They began to argue. She left and went to the chemist’s shop for a prescription. She did not collect his.

“He was not happy and they began to argue again and he punched her on the face four or five times. She tried to escape but he dragged her back.

“She escaped a second time and ran into the street. He followed her out shouting for her to return. He shouted to her ‘ I feel like smashing your face in’.

“She kept on walking and he followed her and continued to be verbally abusive. He seized her by the shoulders in Burn Street. She was extremely upset and he responded aggressively.

“Police were called and he called neighbours ‘grassing b*****ds’. He then said to them ‘do you know who my family are. Your car is getting done.’”

The court heard that the victim of Ross’s attack left covered in blood.

She was taken to the Vale of Leven Hospital, where X-rays showed she had not suffered any fractures. However, she was left badly bruised, with several scratches to her face, neck and knuckles.

The matter was reported to police and the woman’s injuries were photographed.

Mr Doherty told the court Ross was traced at 5.30pm on the day of the incident and was detained, cautioned and charged.

The court also heard that Ross, previously of Redburn but currently an inmate at Kilmarnock prison, attacked the same woman by seizing her on the body at Alternatives in Quay Street, Dumbarton on December 6 last year.

Ross also admitting breaching bail orders imposed on him at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on July 25 and August 23 last year.

Sheriff William Gallacher told Ross: “The nature of the charge is a very serious one.

“I find it hard not to consider that I will impose anything other than a custodial sentence, and not a trivial one. I have a duty to protect the community.”

Sentence was deferred until March 21 for the sheriff to obtain full background reports, including Ross’s suitability for a supervised release order. He was remanded in custody.