Dumbarton man Joseph Murray, 17, who lives in Dumbuck Road, carried out the unprovoked on the medic who had just finished a shift within the Vale of Leven Hospital in Alexandria.

Procurator fiscal depute Claire Martin told Dumbarton Sheriff Court that it was around 10.30pm on June 29 and the accused and another person were within the A&E department of the hospital when the doctor exited one of the doors. He noticed two men, one of whom was Murray, standing at another exit, as they were talking very loudly.

The fiscal depute said: “He proceeded to make his way to his car but then realised that the two males were standing immediately behind him. At this point he turned round and asked, ‘what do you want?’.

The court then heard that Murray stepped forward and head butted the doctor in the face. The doctor, who suffered bruising to his chin, got into his Volvo car but Murray tried to smash the window with his elbow.

The doctor drove off but returned to the hospital and the matter was reported to the police. Officers stopped Murray a short way away in Alexandria and the doctor identified him as the person who had carried out the attack.

Murray’s solicitor said in mitigation that his client has a drinking problem: “He does not seek in any way to minimise his behaviour. Mr Murray simply does not remember his actions due to the level of alcohol consumed but he is deeply apologetic.

“He acknowledges that to have such an alcohol problem at such an early age is an extremely serious matter. This was an unprovoked attack on a doctor and he can only apologise for this. He knows that your lordship could quite easily impose a custodial sentence.” Sheriff Eric Brown said: “I have to take into account factors for and against that of course, such as your age — you are only 17 — and your previous convictions.” Placing Murray on a community payback order the sheriff continued: “In all the circumstances I will deal with it with a non-custodial sentence. The number of hours of unpaid work will reflect the nature of the offence. A doctor was subjected to an unprovoked attack having just come off shift.” Murray was ordered to carry out 225 hours of unpaid work in the community within the next 12 months and will the subject of a supervision order for 18 months.