AN angry mum has slammed the justice system after a man who attacked her son during a kids’ snowball fight dodged a jail sentence.

She told how her 10-year-old child has been left with lasting injuries after being assaulted by Anthony Irvine.

The attack took place in Erskine as a snowball fight escalated into violence.

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Irvine, 50, was found guilty of assault at Paisley Sheriff Court and, last month, was ordered to pay £650 in compensation to his young victim.

Neither the mum nor her son can be named for legal reasons but she insists Irvine should have been handed a custodial sentence.

She told The Gazette: “I think the punishment should have been more severe.

“Irvine should be spending some time in jail for what he did.”

The attack happened at Mains Hill during the Christmas holidays last year, as the victim and another child took part in a snowball fight.

Irvine stormed out of his nearby house after seeing one of the kids being hit in the face.

He grabbed hold of his victim, who was just nine at the time, before shoving him to the ground, causing his head to smack off the concrete.

The boy’s mum said the attack left her son with soft tissue damage to the back of his head. He also had to undergo an MRI scan after he started having bad headaches.

Almost a year on from the attack, he still has to take tablets for headaches and is scared to leave the house.

His mum said: “My son was such an outgoing boy who would always do things for other people but he seems to have lost that get-up-and-go attitude now.

“He’s lost all his confidence.”

The youngster has also missed several days at school as a result of the attack.

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His mum added: “Around the time the court case started, he was admitted to hospital and then came out and was admitted again. He kept being sick all the time. We don’t know if it was nerves or trauma or what was causing it.

“He had to give evidence in court via a video link, which was quite traumatic for him.

“I just hope it’s something we can help him overcome.”