A GREENOCK man abducted a woman and caused her to leap from a moving car to her injury during a journey from the town to Inverkip - then blamed HER for his actions.

Kyle Loossens - described as an 'immature' individual - refused to let his then-girlfriend out of his BMW after taking her prisoner at the Esplanade.

The 21-year-old has been spared a jail sentence after being blasted by a sheriff for his attempts to downplay the seriousness of the offence.

Loossens 'attempted to minimise the impact' on the victim and 'tried to pass the blame' onto her, Greenock Sheriff Court was told.

He pleaded guilty to the abduction on the day he was due to stand trial last month, and was cleared of further allegations of assault, theft of a mobile phone and threats of violence.

Loossens - who detained his ex against her will on April 14 last year - has received a community payback order as punishment.

Sheriff James Varney told him: "Had you not been of the age you are you might have been facing a custodial sentence."

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Loossens had been in a 'somewhat toxic' partnership with the complainer - his first serious relationship - for around two years at the time of the offence, according to his lawyer.

Solicitor Ellen Macdonald told a sentencing hearing that the relationship, which is now at an end, 'was not without its difficulties' and was 'perhaps one that should never have been'.

Ms Macdonald said that an argument had developed in the car that evening.

She added: "They proceeded on the Esplanade and she asked to be let out and he did not let her.

"He said now that he would stop the car, let her out and never find himself in this position again.

"He regrets the fear that he caused her and also the fact that he has caused her an injury."

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However, Sheriff Varney declared after reading a social work background report that Loossens was 'not accepting full responsibility'.

Ms Macdonald replied: "He does accept fully that he should not have kept her in that car."

The sheriff said: "Absolutely. You don't abduct somebody and drive 15 minutes to Inverkip.

"'Can I get out the car'? 'Yes, you can'."

Slamming Loossens for his 'general immaturity and poor attitude' in the report, the sheriff said he had displayed 'coercive and controlling behaviour' and he had suggested that the victim 'embellished' her injuries.

Sheriff Varney added: "I cannot imagine how she must have felt."

Ms Macdonald added that it was not first offender Loossens' intention to victim blame.

Loossens, of Gateside Grove, was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid within the next year. He will also be supervised for 18 months and a three-year non-harassment order, preventing him from approaching or contacting his victim in any way, was imposed.