A MAN who assaulted his former partner and then broke a court order keeping him away from her has been tagged for two months.

Dean Todd, 25, was convicted of repeatedly punching the woman on the face and repeatedly kicking her on the body at his home in Perth Crescent, Mountblow, Clydebank, in October 2019.

He was sentenced last year to a community payback order (CPO) with 12 months of supervision and 260 hours of unpaid work. There was also a non-harassment order (NHO) imposed for three years.

But he broke the NHO on January 6 this year when he contacted his ex at a property in Alexandria.

At Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week, Todd's defence solicitor, Gail Campbell, said the report on her client's progress was "far from perfect".

She said: "The one thing he has done is stayed in contact with social work. His mental health requires to be tackled. He has to take steps that engage with people. There are people willing to help him if he puts himself forward."

But Sheriff John Hamilton kept pointing to a reported "four-day bender" Todd used as an excuse.

He said to Todd: "I could send you to jail where you will not go on four-day benders. Do you want that?"

Todd replied: "I want my freedom."

The sheriff said: "The best way to get you mental health help is in custody. I suspect you would hate that. Do you think a tag will make a difference?"

Todd replied: "I do."

Sheriff Hamilton varied the existing CPO to add a curfew from 7pm to 7am each day with an electronic tag for two months.

He told Todd the alternative would be "four walls around you and bars" and fixed a review on June 4.