Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard that Scott Murray, 24, was on bail when he carried out the assault near the town’s West Bridgend on April 11 this year.

Malcolm Macleod, fiscal depute, told the court that the incident occurred on a Friday night and the victim, who had just been paid, was in a pub in the town when he began talking and drinking with Murray and a third man.

All three left the pub together and made their way along High Street to a cycle path near the River Leven where Murray’s father was working on a boat.

The fiscal depute said: “The accused asked his father for money but he didn’t have anything to give him. The complainer then discussed the loan of some money with his father, but he said he wasn’t loaning any money to him.” The court was then informed that Murray thought the man was being cheeky to his father and punched him on the face.

A struggle ensued and the victim was knocked to the ground and repeatedly punched him until Murray’s father intervened and stopped the attack. Murray made off along the path and a passer-by contacted the police who attended at the scene. The court heard that the victim sustained bruising to his face and was attended to by ambulance staff but didn’t attend hospital.

Murray, whose address was given in court papers as Low Moss prison, was traced several days later and when interviewed admitted being involved in a fight. Murray’s defence agent said in mitigation that his client had been attacked first: “The complainer said something cheeky to Mr Murray’s father, it wasn’t anything major. He then said don’t talk to my father like that. He says that it started with a rugby tackle on him by the complainer and while it cannot be justified, he has admitted that he was involved in a fight.” The solicitor called for a non-custodial sentence to be imposed, pointing out that Murray had pleaded guilty and completed the equivalent of a seven months jail sentence while on remand.

Sheriff Raymond McMenamin was persuaded to deal with it by means other than a prison sentence.

Murray was placed on a community payback order with the conditions that he be supervised for 12 months and carry out 180 hours of unpaid work within the next six months.