A JOHNSTONE thug carried out a savage attack on his girlfriend after believing she was going to have a secret rendezvous with her ex-husband.

Kevin Ashcroft, 34, lost the plot during an argument with Tracy Main in Paisley in April this year.

He fell out with Ms Main after they’d spent the evening of April 21 drinking in pubs in the town.

They began arguing at around 8.45pm when they got back to her flat, before the argument spilled out onto the street.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard that Ashcroft, of Williamson Place, Johnstone, left Ms Main bloodied after raining blows on her in Dunn Street, Paisley, in front of her shocked neighbours.

Procurator fiscal depute Emma Jeffrey explained: “There was an argument between the parties due to the accused having suspicions the ex-husband of the complainer was coming to pick her up.

“She told him this was not the case.”

Ashcroft, who was in an on-off relationship with Ms Main for around two years, then stormed out of the flat, with Ms Main giving chase.

The court was told she “ran about the street frantically” and stood outside the Burgh Bar, in Glasgow Road, before heading back towards her home.

On the way, she spotted Ashcroft sitting on the pavement and another row broke out.

Miss Jeffrey added: “He began to shout at her, saying ‘you are a tart’ and ‘you are are a cow and worth nothing’.

“He began pushing her. Other witnesses heard a disturbance occurring in the street and heard the complainer shouting for help.

“The accused pushed the complainer to the ground and continued to strike her to the head.”

Ashcroft had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges - threatening or abusive behaviour towards Ms Main and assaulting her.

Defence solicitor advocate Bob Mitchell, a partner in law firm Tod and Mitchell, said Ashcroft was trying to turn his life around.

He added: “He’s taken the view that the relationship is finished - that it’s better they don’t get back together.

“He takes the view that they drink too much and it’s far too volatile.”

As she spared Ashcroft prison, Sheriff Susan Sinclair said: “These are very serious charges.

“It’s an assault which is just not acceptable, it was a nasty assault.

“The first thing that strikes me as appropriate is a period of imprisonment but I can impose a direct alternative to this today.”

She told Ashcroft he was being given a Community Payback Order which will see him supervised by social workers for 18 months and complete 150 hours of unpaid work within the next six months, reduced from 200 hours as he admitted his guilt.