A thug who was compared to a "frenzied dog" has been jailed for 12 months for attacking a man in a supermarket car park.
Scott Paton repeatedly kicked and punched his victim - who ended up curled in a bloody ball - because he believed he had touched his girlfriend.
Paton, 39, ambushed Kevin Lyons, 40, in broad daylight in the car park of Morrisons, Alloa, as Mr Lyons walked to work.
Falkirk Sheriff Court heard Mr Lyons had left home about 6.15 pm, and his route took him past the rear of the store.
Prosecutor Katie Cunnigham said: "He passed a group of four people, including the accused. Looking over his shoulder, he saw they had started following him.
"This prompted him to start running, going past the side of the store. He eventually had to stop, out of breath.
"Paton swung a punch at him. It connected with his right eye. Mr Lyons can't recall much after that point, other than ending up on the ground.
"He was repeatedly punched and kicked to the head and body - mainly to his head.
"He tried to put his hands up to defend himself, but all four people continued to assault him. Lyons thought Paton was the main aggressor."
Shoppers at the supermarket shouted "leave him alone", and Paton and his accomplices stopped and walked off.
Miss Cunningham said one witness, who had just driven into the car park, saw Paton punching and kicking Mr Lyons, who was lying on the ground, "curled up in a ball, covered in blood".
He called police and an ambulance, while a woman working in the Morrisons petrol forecourt, who saw Mr Lyons lying on the ground and being "repeatedly kicked" by four people, ran to help him.
The depute fiscal said: "The witness described them as like a pack of frenzied dogs."
Police and security guards arrived and spoke to Mr Lyons.
Paton was found nearby, naked from the waist up, with cuts to his hand, and he was arrested.
He told police: "He put his hands down my bird's trousers, so I banged him."
Mr Lyons suffered bruising and swelling to his right eye. He was x-rayed, but no fractures were found.
Paton, of Alloa, pleaded guilty to assault causing injury. The incident happened on May 17th (2021).
Solicitor Kelly Howe, defending, said: "Hie was heavily intoxicated at the time of the incident due to substance misuse."
The court heard Paton had previous convictions for breaching bail, offending on bail, offensive weapons, breaching court orders, dishonesty, and traffic offences.
Sheriff Maryam Labaki said Paton, who appeared by video link from Low Moss Prison, had "been smirking" while listening to the Crown narrative.
Imposing the 12 month jail term, she said: "You and others set upon Kevin Lyons. You were described by witnesses as behaving like a pack of frenzied dogs.
"This must have been a terrifying ordeal for your victim."
