A MAN assaulted a police officer who was carrying out a welfare check on him in Helensburgh.

Neil Hunter attempted to push the constable who visited his partner's home on the outskirts of the town to carry out a welfare check at around 10.40pm on May 5 this year.

A court hearing was told officers explained the reason they were at the front door, however, Hunter was described as being unwilling to engage.

When the PCs began dealing with a separate issue, he quickly became irate and acted aggressively towards them.

Hunter, of Bonhill, attempted to push past one of the police officers, but was arrested for his conduct and taken to Greenock police office where he was later charged.

The 48-year-old appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on September 24 for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to a single charge of assault.

His defence solicitor, Kenneth McGowan, said: "His record is a fairly significant one but there is a significant gap.

"The position is that the locus of the offence is the home of his partner. He tells me they are in a relationship and he describes the locus of the incident as his home address.

"He will work with the social work department in any way."

Sheriff Lorna Anderson said: "I have a very full report in front of me but I am not going to go into the ins and outs in an open court, but what I am going to do is put in place a community disposal."

He was placed on a community payback order and will be under social work supervision for 12 months, with a requirement to engage with addiction and mental health services.

The sheriff agreed not to put a residence requirement in place for the sentence.

The first review of the order was set for a date in December.