A THUG who attacked and hospitalised a 70-year-old man in a Greenock street assault has been warned he could be jailed for the violent offence.

Daniel McDonald, 28, targeted his pensioner victim on Ann Street and caused him to suffer a sprained shoulder in the incident.

McDonald and former co-accused Darren Wright, 40, appeared in the dock of Greenock Sheriff Court having been indicted on two charges.

The pair were said to have assaulted a man on June 14, 2022 by allegedly grabbing him, causing him to fall to the ground and repeatedly punching and kicking him on the head and body, all to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

Wright, from Port Glasgow, was cleared of both allegations after Crown prosecutors accepted his not guilty pleas through solicitor Aidan Gallagher.

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McDonald, represented by lawyer Paul Cook, admitted an amended second charge relating to the pensioner, stating that he kicked him on the body to his injury.

Procurator fiscal depute Dana Barclay told last Friday's hearing that McDonald and the complainer became involved in an altercation at an address following an apparent disagreement about a mobile phone.

Neighbours were said to have observed the incident and one of them recorded it on her mobile phone before police were contacted.

The court heard McDonald was traced and charged almost a month later.

After being arrested, he told officers: "They two guys were in my close as I was going out with my dog and then my phone was gone."

The victim attended Inverclyde Royal and was diagnosed with a sprained shoulder by hospital staff as a result of the attack.

Sheriff Sheena Fraser called for background reports given McDonald's age, the fact that he is a first offender, and the serious nature of the offence.

She told him: "The initial thought in my mind is I have to consider a custodial sentence but I have to see whether there is an alternative to that."

McDonald's bail was continued and he is due to return to court for sentencing on March 13.