A MAN who admitted attacking his partner at their Bonhill home by repeatedly punching her on the head – and then flouted a court order banning him from contacting her – has been spared a prison term.

Ricky McMillan attacked the woman at a property in O’Hare on November 12 – and after pleading guilty the following day to a charge of assault, and being released on bail on the condition that he do not approach or contact the woman, then exchanged social media messages with her on December 6 last year.

The 26-year-old appeared for sentencing at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Friday, when fiscal depute Emma Thomson told the court the victim – with whom McMillan had been in a relationship at the time – had been at home with a friend on the night of November 12, but that the friend had later gone home.

The next morning the victim of McMillan’s attack texted the same friend to say “get up here soon as”. Police were alerted and went to the property, where they found McMillan present, and his then-partner upset and trying to conceal bruises around her eyes and mouth.

Police took the woman to the home of her friend and then came back to the house and detained McMillan.

Copies of the social media messages exchanged by McMillan and the woman on December 6 were passed to Sheriff John Hamilton – who later branded them “pathetic”.

Ms Thomson told the court she was seeking a non-harassment order banning McMillan from contacting the woman – who, she said, had stated the couple’s relationship was now over.

McMillan’s solicitor Judith Reid said her client had been put under social work supervision as part of a community payback order for an unrelated court case on December 6, and had spent three weeks remanded in custody on the assault charge.

Asking for that CPO to remain in place, and suggesting that unpaid hours of community work might be added to it as a punishment for the latest offences, Ms Reid told the court: “He has not dealt with matters well but he’s not had the emotional resources to deal with what he’s tried to deal with.”

At that point McMillan’s mobile phone went off while he was sat in the dock – prompting Sheriff Hamilton to observe: “If he could wise up and grow up and put that in a drawer for six months it might make his life significantly better.

“I have grave concerns that the buttons on the back of my head are being used at the moment.

“He seems to be getting an awful lot of leeway. He just doesn’t seem to get it.”

Turning to address McMillan directly, the sheriff added: “There is no excuse in any way for physical violence in any form at any time, and especially against a woman if you are a man.

“From what I can see, there is potential that we could be getting close to the end of your situation.

“I’m very concerned that you keep coming back in front of me and there is always an explanation.”

McMillan, of Clyde Court, Dalmuir, was sentenced to 120 hours’ unpaid work for the assault charge and a further 50 for the bail breach. He was given six months to carry out the total punishment.

Sheriff Hamilton opted not to grant the Crown’s motion for a non-harassment order.