A BONHILL man who beat up his ex-partner in a sustained assault has been ordered to do a 12-week course to turn him away from domestic violence.

Darren Kerr, from Braehead, carried out the attack on June 10 this year at a house in Pappert.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard on Friday how the 37-year-old was shouting and swearing and acting in an aggressive manner and put his ex-partner into a state of fear and alarm.

Prosecutor Emma Thomson told the court Kerr repeatedly punched the woman on the head and kicked her on the body, causing her to fall against a fence. He then seized her by the neck and compressed it and then pushed her on the body.

Ms Thomson explained: “She phoned him and he came to the house at 6am. She asked for the spare keys to the home back and he became abusive and an argument started.

“He punched her in the face and kicked her on the ribs causing her to fall against a garden fence and then pushed her on the back of the head.

“He dropped the keys and she grabbed them and ran into the house. He gave chase and pushed the door open. He grabbed her by the throat and pushed her down the hallway.

“His ex-partner suffered bruising and had a lump on the back of her head.”

Kerr’s defence solicitor, Lauren Kerr, said her client had been assessed as suitable for the Pair Programme, a 12-week course from criminal justice organisation SACRO and West Dunbartonshire Council for those convicted of domestic violence.

She said: “He is very embarrassed, ashamed and remorseful. It was an appalling incident.

“He was under the influence of drink but is not using that as an excuse for what happened.”

Sheriff John Hamilton put Kerr on a community payback order, with 150 hours of unpaid work, a year’s supervision by social workers and an order to attend the Pair Programme