A HARDGATE man has been ordered to carry out unpaid work as a punishment for an assault on his partner – and breaching a bail condition barring him from being in contact with her.

Colin Barker, 34, of Croftpark Road, pleaded guilty to putting his hands around the woman’s neck and compressing it in the attack at a house in Taylor Street in Whitecrook in December 2016.

He was released on bail the following April after an initial court appearance in connection with the attack – but, within two days, he had breached a condition of bail by being in contact with his victim when they visited friends at a house together.

Barker appeared for sentencing at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Friday. He had denied further charges of assaulting the woman, and of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and smashing a phone, in March 2017.

Fiscal depute Emma Thomson said: “On Saturday, April 13, at 5pm the accused and his partner attended together at an address in Clydebank to socialise with friends.

“At 10.30pm the accused and his partner had consumed alcohol and left. She said he was cheeky and the next day at 3.30am words were exchanged between them.

“She demanded he leave but he refused. Thereafter she phoned her sister. Police later became involved, attended and arrested the accused.”

Barker’s solicitor, Gail Campbell, told the court: “He is not in contact with her any more. Clearly it is not a relationship that works well with either party. It has got him into considerable trouble.”

Sheriff John Hamilton, who had heard the trial over the more recent alleged offences, told Barker: “I heard the evidence; I didn’t believe much of what she said. She was obviously lying to protect you.“You like to get drunk and get into fights. You cannot control yourself.

“You appeared on petition and within hours you were putting two fingers up to the court – I take an extremely dim view of that.

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“You can’t just wander around being obnoxious to strangers and to your partner.

“I’m not giving you the jail, but you are going to get a community payback order.”

Barker was placed under 12 months’ supervision and ordered to attend a domestic abuse programme and do 80 hours’ unpaid work. He was given another 80 hours’ unpaid work for breaching bail.