A DRUNKEN attacker who assaulted a stranger in his garden having claimed that he was there to deliver a pizza was tracked down by police after dropping his beanie hat at the scene.

Officers traced intoxicated assailant Alexander Lothian through DNA on the headwear - and the 52-year-old later admitted to carrying out the random attack in Greenock more than four years ago.

Lothian, from Edinburgh, had no memory of the violent incident due to the level of his alcohol consumption, his solicitor told a sentencing hearing this week.

The court heard that the complainer and his family were at home on Holmscroft Avenue on the night of March 22, 2020 when a male voice was heard outside.

A procurator fiscal depute said: "Around 7pm, the witness heard a voice over the front main door intercom indicating someone was at the door, and she heard mumbling but was unable to make anything out other than 'James'.

"Finding this suspicious she didn't allow the male entry.

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"Around 10pm, someone was seen outside the property. The curtains were drawn in the home but a small gap allowed the witness a partial view of the garden area.

"A short time later the buzzer for the flat went again and a male voice told the complainer that a pizza delivery was there for him.

"When the man was asked who he was, he replied 'Ian'."

One of the witnesses then noticed a disturbance on the patio in the garden and the fiscal depute said Lothian had jumped over a wall and begun to punch the victim to the head and body.

The complainer managed to chase his attacker and another man away from the scene before police attended.

The court was told that officers seized a grey beanie hat from the garden which contained traces of Lothian's DNA and he was later tracked down and arrested.

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The victim sustained a small cut to his hand but did not require any medical attention.

A lawyer for Lothian, who was originally charged on indictment with presenting a knife at the victim and repeatedly trying to strike him on the body with the blade, said being intoxicated was 'not an excuse' for his client's behaviour.

Defence solicitor Peter Winning said: "The accused, having no recollection whatsoever of his being there or his involvement, left the locus and so disorientated was he that he actually attended Greenock police office and spoke with officers, although he made no mention of the incident and did not know where he was or how to get back to Edinburgh.

"He would have apologised had he known who the man was.

"He still assaulted a random member of the public in his own garden to his injury."

Sheriff Anthony McGeehan said he was not persuaded to follow a social work recommendation of supervision only and said any disposal must contain an element of punishment.

Sentence was deferred until June 5 for a restriction of liberty order assessment.