A THUG who pushed a pensioner to the ground after bursting into her Faifley home just before Christmas blamed his behaviour on a combination of drink and diabetes.

John Carter, of Greenock, burst into the home occupied by the 71-year-old woman at Burnbrae Street at breakfast time on December 15 last year – and after pushing the woman and punching a 59-year-old man, he promptly fell asleep.

But when the 27-year-old appeared in court last Friday to be sentenced on charges of assaulting the woman and her husband, his lawyer said the behaviour of the first offender was “completely out of character”.

Fiscal depute Gemma McKechnie told Dumbarton Sheriff Court: “The witnesses, aged 71 and 59, were within their home address at 8am when they heard a bang at the front door. The accused burst in and made his way towards the living room.

“The accused punched the male complainer in the chest area while the complainer’s arms were across his chest.

“The accused left the room, then returned and pushed the female complainer with such force that she fell over.

“She was down on the ground between two chairs when police arrived; by then the accused was sleeping in a chair.

“The accused declined medical treatment. There was no visible injury to either witness.”

Carter’s lawyer, Tom Brown, told the court: “He had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes the year before and had had no difficulties.

“He was out at a work party and had been drinking. That can affect hypoglycaemia.

“He has no recollection of his bizarre behaviour.

Click here for all the latest Clydebank news

“This has been a life-changing experience for him. He knows it must have been dreadful for the people involved.

“He has not touched alcohol at all since the incident, because he now realises the effect it can have on his diabetes.”

Carter, of Weir Street in the Inverclyde town, was told to do 200 hours of unpaid work within six months as a punishment.