A thug who battered two men in Airdrie town centre has been jailed for ignoring his community payback order.
Stephen McGowan, 26, was caught by police in the midst of an attack on a pedestrian on Forrest Street in February.
It was just after 3am and he’d beaten up another man only minutes earlier outside the Treasury Bar.
The Cheviot Court resident was initially spared time behind bars and given unpaid work.
But his lackadaisical approach has now resulted in a sheriff’s leniency abruptly coming to an end.
Describing his offences, the procurator fiscal said: “The witness was standing having a cigarette outside the Treasury bar when the accused approached him and shouted.
“He pushed the witness to the ground, before the witness tried to remove himself from the situation but the accused repeatedly struck him.
Click here for more from Airdrie and Coatbridge
“They were separated by passers-by after a few minutes and the witness was bleeding from the face.
“Five minutes later the second witness was alone on Forrest Street. Police were in a vehicle and their attention was drawn to the accused who had ran in front of the vehicle towards the witness.
“He grabbed him by the throat, struggled with him and punched him to the face and head several times.
“Police exited their vehicle and arrested him.”
McGowan’s defence solicitor said: “He appears in court today with a sense of resignation and remorse. In the report it states he was given opportunities in terms of alternatives to custody.
“For some reason he has wasted them and not done his orders. He’s realistic as to what will happen today.”
Sheriff Frank Pieri said: “I’ll revoke your orders and impose two three-month jail sentences; that’s a total of six months, backdated to June 25.”
