A Stirling thug who punched a Good Samaritan in the jaw as she tended him as he lay intoxicated in a street is facing a jail term.
Jack Ferry, 24, grabbed his victim - a 27-year-old student nurse - by the hair and pulled it, punched her on the head, and repeatedly attempted to land further blows on her.
Falkirk Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday, that the victim and three pals had been socialising in a garden in St Ninians in May this year.
While they were there, it was “made known to them” that Ferry was nearby and intoxicated.
Michael Maguire, prosecuting, said: “All four left the garden and walked down the street where they saw the accused on the ground with neighbours standing over him.
“He was taken back and given a glass of water.
“He was sitting on a bench in the garden and [the victim], a student nurse, was standing nearby making sure he was okay.
“He then became abusive towards her, stood up, and grabbed a handful of her hair.
“He punched her to the left side of the jaw, and then threw several further punches at her that did not connect.”
He was pushed off the woman, who suffered pain and swelling round her jaw and pain at the back of the head where her hair had been pulled, before being pushed out of the garden, shouting threats and abuse.
Police arrived and he was handcuffed, spitting at officers as he was taken to a police van.
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Mr Maguire said: “On route to Falkirk Police Station his behaviour escalated.
“He shouted at an officer, ‘When I get out of here I’m going to snap your f****** neck, you fat c***’.
“Throughout the journey he repeatedly spat over the inside of the van.”
He was still “aggressive” and “hostile” when he arrived, and had to be handcuffed to the rear and placed in leg restraints and a spit hood.
Appearing by video link from Low Moss Prison, Ferry pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman to her injury; assaulting police; and statutory breach of the peace.
The incidents occurred on May 29 in Earlsburn Avenue, and in the police van on the way to Falkirk.
Solicitor Ken Dalling, defending, said Ferry had been subject to a community payback order at the time of his arrest.
Sheriff Simon Collins QC deferred sentence for reports until September 16.
He continued Ferry’s remand in custody.
