A MAN released by police on orders to stay away from a woman and an address in Gourock breached the directive within an HOUR.

Lewis Gallacher, 24, had been charged with behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at a property at the town's Tower Drive.

Police allowed him his liberty after arresting him but Gallacher was back at the flat he'd been told not to go back to around 60 minutes later.

He was on an undertaking not to approach or contact the woman, or attempt to do so in any way, when officers were called out for a second time.

Greenock Sheriff Court was told that Gallacher, of Burns Road in Greenock, was allowed to leave the police office at 11.15am on July 12 last year and had returned to Tower Drive by 12.15pm the same day.

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Officers arrived after being alerted by a resident at a neighbouring property and found Gallacher sitting on a bed.

He told police that he was 'only there to collect work clothes', the court heard. 

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Gallacher pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, acting aggressively and shouting and swearing.

He further admitted to breaching his police undertaking conditions.

Defence lawyer Amy Spencer said that her client had a 'relatively short record' and there had been 'nothing analogous' since 2016. 

She added: "He is 24 now and was 22 at the time. 

"There was a degree of immaturity in how he dealt with both matters. 

"He was placed in a position of trust by police and he breached that. 

"Mr Gallacher was already in a heightened emotional state and the involvement of the police escalated his behaviour. 

"He regrets his behaviour and that is reflected in the guilty plea."

Gallagher has been ordered to pay a total fine of £245.