A WESTCLIFF man who assaulted his former partner and trashed her house has had his sentence further deferred.

James Murray, 24, who lives in Ashton View, was appearing at Dumbarton Sheriff Court to be sentenced for three offences which took place on two separate dates, and for a review of a community payback order that he had been placed on for an earlier disturbance at his ex’s house at Merkins Avenue on April 6 last year.

During the disturbance he tore light fittings and smoke alarms from the ceiling in the house, shouted, swore and placed the woman in a state of fear and alarm.

Murray had been ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work in the community and was placed on supervision for a period of 18 months for that incident.

He was granted bail from Dumbarton Sheriff Court the following day with the condition that he did not approach or contact his former partner.

But the following month, on May 17, he breached that by contacting her.

Then on November 11 at the same address he assaulted his former partner.

After gaining entry to the house he seized her by the hair and her clothing and repeatedly pulled her by the hair, causing her to fall to the floor.

Murray then followed her into the street, pushed her over a fence and then when she was on the ground, he put his finger in her eye and kicked her to the head, all to her injury.

Murray pleaded guilty to the charges during an earlier court appearance and to a second offence which took place during the assault incident on November 11.

He admitted forcing entry to the Merkins Avenue property, damaging the front door, breaking a television, crockery and a window, pulling the door off a fridge and damaging the ceiling.

Murray was also on bail at the time of these incidents.

Referring to a community payback progress report that had been prepared for the court, Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said: “This is a very positive report, you are making very good progress.

“That doesn’t carry any guarantee that will continue but hopefully it does.”

Murray will appear again at Dumbarton Sheriff Court. The sheriff set a further review date for April 6 and deferred sentence on the other matters until then.