A BRUTAL one-punch thug who knocked a man out for more than TEN MINUTES in an 'horrific' Greenock street attack has been spared a prison sentence.

Marc Hughes - who had also been charged with stamping on his victim's head to the danger of life - pleaded guilty to landing a single blow with his fist outside the Celtic Supporters Club.

Hughes, 34, also repeatedly punched and kicked an older relative of the man during the violent midnight incident on Laird Street.

But he insisted, through his lawyer David Tod at a sentencing hearing at the sheriff court, that he had acted in self defence.

The man knocked unconscious was conveyed to hospital and was found to have sustained multiple facial fractures following the attack, which occurred on April 30 last year after an Old Firm derby at Hampden.

Sheriff James Varney had deferred sentence on Hughes, and had previously told him that he 'really struggled to understand why there would be any alternative to custody' for what the sheriff described as an 'horrific assault'.

Defence solicitor David Tod told the court: "He [Hughes] and the complainers have known each other for a considerable number of years.

"His position has always been that what he did was in defence of himself.

"They had been in an argument and he has got his retaliation."

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The incident was captured by CCTV cameras and footage was shown to the court, with Hughes, who was wearing a long-sleeve Celtic top, seen entering a takeaway next door to the premises in the afternoon before returning later to carry out the assaults.

The single punch victim, who was kept in hospital overnight for observation but was discharged the next day and has since made a full recovery, was seen lying on the pavement after being struck and was unresponsive while a group of witnesses tended to him.

The other man Hughes assaulted was uninjured, the court was told.

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Solicitor Mr Tod highlighted his client's lack of analogous convictions on his criminal record and said Hughes has not been in any trouble since the assaults.

Sheriff Varney told Hughes: "These are offences that the court cannot and will not condone.

"This type of assault can lead to devastating effects and possibly fatalities.

"You are lucky there were not more serious consequences."

Hughes will be supervised for two years as an alternative to custody and he must complete 275 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.

A night-time curfew will also be in place for 180 days.