Christopher Carmouche, of Tontine Park in the town, claimed self-defence from the outset in relation to striking a man at a common close at Clyde Court, Dumbarton.

Mr Carmouche was accused of repeatedly striking a 63-year-old man on the body with a knife to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment.

However, the 32-year-old told Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week any injuries sustained by the man were caused by Mr Carmouche defending himself.

He told the court he grabbed the man’s wrists as he came at him drunk with a kitchen knife and a meat clever. In searching his flat, police found the bloodied knives in the man’s kitchen sink.

Upon attending the incident, PC David Jamieson said he was met by the drunk victim who made reference to sorting the issue out himself.

He added: “I actually thought it was strange in the circumstances, he was very jovial, laughing and joking. He said it was wrong to attack somebody with a meat clever and a knife.

“He wouldn’t give a statement at that time.” In summing up, Mr Carmouche’s solicitor Roddy Boag told the jury the evidence presented by the Crown ‘didn’t hold up’ to scrutiny and that he had made no attempt to hide his involvement.

He said: “The Crown says there is plenty of evidence to convict but there’s not. There is only the bare sufficiency. As the Crown says, you have to accept what the victim said, if you don’t then you have to acquit.

“You have to accept it 100 per cent and that’s where the case falls apart. Christopher Carmouche said he was involved in a struggle.

“He struggled with the man because he was coming at him with two knives. He explained his position fully and said the man had a knife and a meat cleaver and described them to police.” The solicitor also pointed to the evidence of PC Jamieson who said the man told him he would, ‘sort it out himself because it wrong to attack someone with a knife and meat cleaver’.

Mr Carmouche and supporters walked quietly from court as Sheriff Simon Pender told him he was free to go.