A “DISGUSTING” thug who stamped on his girlfriend’s head during a horrifying attack in broad daylight has been jailed for two years.

Sheriff William Gallacher said he was not easily horrified but that Iain Shaw’s crime horrified him.

The 27-year-old reportedly took 40 Valium over a weekend before wanting to go buy more and launching the attack on his partner when she refused to pay for the drugs.

His assault left her curled into a ball to protect herself and only stopped when members of the public pulled him off.

The fact she wasn’t injured was the only mitigation in Shaw’s favour, said the sheriff.

When Shaw pleaded guilty to the assault to injury last month, Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard how Shaw was staying with his 19-year-old girlfriend at her home through the weekend of February 11 and 12 and consumed a “quantity of Valium”.

Around 4pm on Monday, February 13, Shaw left the home planning to purchase more Valium. He was planning to travel by bus and it was at the bus stop an argument broke out.

Fiscal depute Sarah Healing said after the girlfriend refused to pay for his drugs, he headbutted her, then punched her in the head, causing her to fall to the ground.

She said: “She was unable to get up from the ground because the accused then kneed her in the face, causing her to curl herself up in a ball.”

Ms Healing said Shaw kept punching his partner on the head as she “cowered on the ground”, the punches raining down “quickly”.

She continued: “[Shaw] then used the bus stop to steady himself before jumping on the complainer’s head and body as she was still lying on the ground.

“He managed to remove both his feet from the ground and land his full body weight at least twice.”

This was all while Shaw continued to shout and swear at his partner. 

A passing motorist stopped and shouted at Shaw to stop and leave the teenager alone, but Shaw kept punching her, which led to another passerby taking hold of him and dragging him away.

The young woman was described as “extremely shaken and upset” and was bleeding from the mouth.

Last week defence solicitor Brian McGuire said his client had previously managed to kick his alcohol problem but would now need to tackle his drug addiction.

Sheriff Gallacher said: “I’m not easily horrified – but I was horrified. You attacked her in the most despicable way, by jumping on her, persisting until people intervened and stopped you. The fact she was not significantly injured is astonishing. Your record shows you present a risk of significant harm to the public.”

Shaw was jailed for two years, backdated to February 15. He will be supervised for a further 12 months after his release.