Police swooped on a house in Johnstone after an 89-year-old man was attacked by his own grandson.

Booze-fuelled lout Ross Docherty, 32, launched the attack on John Ward after trying to kick his way into the victim's home in Gowanbank Gardens.

Docherty had asked Mr Ward and his wife to give him money but, in the moments that followed, he struck his grandfather with such force that the pensioner was left motionless on the floor after falling into a table, breaking the piece of furniture.

The details emerged when Docherty, of Cartside Avenue, Johnstone, appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court to admit his guilt over the unprovoked attack.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Ward by pushing him on the body, causing him to fall against the table, after prosecutors deleted claims he had punched his elderly relative.

A second charge that he had behaved in a threatening or abusive way by shouting and swearing was also dropped by prosecutors.

Procurator fiscal depute Pamela Flynn said the incident took place at about 11.50pm on April 12 this year at Mr and Mrs Ward's flat.

She added: "One of the other householders in the block heard her buzzer going. She answered it and heard a male voice state 'It's Bernadette's son, can you let me into my gran and papa's?'

"Mr and Mrs Ward were in their home asleep. They became aware of someone buzzing their buzzer and kicking the front close door."

Docherty got into the close and, when he was met by his grandfather, said: "I want my gran, let me in."

Miss Flynn added: "Mr Ward refused access but his wife allowed the accused into the flat.

"The accused's behaviour became more erratic and Mr Ward asked the accused to leave.

"At that point, the accused lunged towards Mr Ward and pushed him and caused Mr Ward to lose his balance and fall onto a table in the hallway and, in turn, broke that table."

A neighbour who heard a commotion and went to see what was happening spotted Mr Ward lying on his side on the floor, with Docherty standing near him.

Docherty said he wanted money and the neighbour offered him cash to pay for a taxi fare if he left the property but he was arrested before a cab could arrive by police officers answering a 999 call that had been made in relation to his late night rampage.

Defence solicitor Gemma Rathey said Docherty, an unemployed father-of-four, had struggled with an alcohol addiction and receives state benefits.

It was stated that he is now living with his sister.

Miss Rathey added: "The family simply wants to move on from this."

Sheriff Tom McCartney said he could have caged Docherty over the attack there and then but opted to call for background reports to be prepared and for prosecutors to obtain information on how the assault has affected Mr Ward.

As he did so, he told the accused: "An incident of violence towards an elderly person may have a significant psychological impact."

Docherty could be caged for as long as 12 months when he returns to the dock next month to learn his fate.