A VIOLENT thug who wielded a hatchet and inflicted multiple injuries on a woman is today beginning a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence after being branded a 'danger in the community'.

Stephen Bonnar — who has convictions for assaults and carrying knives — has also been made subject to a non-harassment order barring him from going near his victim for seven years.

Sheriff Andrew McIntyre told the 31-year-old: "You are a danger in the community, and that was never clearer than when you assaulted this woman.

"It is significant, in my opinion, that you brandished a hatchet and this was plainly terrifying for her."

Bonnar flew into a fit of rage during a verbal argument with his short-term girlfriend, who was found by police with cuts near her left eye, on her left knee and behind one of her ears.

He later told officers that she had inflicted the injuries upon herself.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard how he grabbed the woman by her hair and threw her to the floor in her own home and attacked her.

She looked up during the assault and saw him brandishing the mini axe above her.

Mirrors and picture frames within the woman's Greenock home had been smashed and cushions strewn on the floor as a result of the 4am incident on August 24 last year.

Bonnar was charged with striking the woman on her head with the hatchet and throwing her against a fireplace but this was removed following negotiations between the Crown and defence lawyer Aidan Gallagher.

Mr Gallagher said: "The background report says that he acted recklessly with no consideration of the consequences.

"I would suggest that what he did was in the heat of the moment."

But Sheriff McIntyre noted: "In the assessment of the risk of reoffending the social worker draws the conclusion then whenever he is released there would be a need, in her view, for Mr Bonnar to engage with a programme which seeks to address his anger management, compulsiveness and volatility.

"Unless something is done to address his anger management there will continue to be a risk of this type of thing happening."

The sheriff added: "The act itself is of such seriousness that the precursor to it is completely eclipsed by the aggression of Mr Bonnar."

In imposing a 43-month prison sentence, he told Bonnar: "The matter is made worse when consideration is given to your record.

"You have a long history for possession of knives and assaults on people."

Bonnar, who admitted grabbing the woman by her hair, dragging her to the floor, repeatedly striking her on the head and body and brandishing a hatchet all to her injury, will also be subject to a one-year supervised release order on his eventual liberation.

The seven-year non-harassment order prevents him from approaching or contacting his victim, or attempting to do so, in any way.