A THUG has been jailed after smashing a bottle of Buckfast on a man's head during an incident on the number 11 bus.

Alexander White turned the booze bottle into a weapon after he was headbutted by the other passenger. 

The 32-year-old pleaded guilty to one charge of assault in relation to the matter when he appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week.

The incident took place on board the busy Ayrshire bus on April 7 this year after White had boarded the vehicle with an unknown man in Ardrossan, procurator fiscal depute Jemma McKechnie told the court.

The bus driver noted that both passengers were holding bottles of Buckfast at this time and the duo took two seats together on the upper deck.

Another man, referred to as the complainer, then got on the number 11 when it arrived in Stevenston further along its route to Kilmarnock. He sat two rows in front of White and his friend.

Shortly afterwards, the complainer was seen drinking from a bottle, and White shouted forward "hawl you".

The man took exception to this, and turned around to address the pair, stating “you talking to me?” And “you think my name’s hawl?”.

Thereafter, the complainer became agitated and started walking from his seat towards White and the unknown man.

The man told the 32-year-old to “get on your feet soldier” and took a different seat across from the pair.

During this time, the bus driver became aware of shouting and commotion coming from the top deck and he started to monitor the situation on the bus CCTV.

The complainer did briefly return to his original seat, though continued to make gestures towards White and the unknown man before moving back across from them both.

"Both White and the unknown male did not seem bothered by this at the time," Ms McKechnie added.

Though the man who was with White would later become frustrated and stood up before going head to head with the complainer.

He also told him to get off at the next stop and challenged him to a fight.

(Image: Street View)

However, this did not escalate further after White stood up, pulled his friend away, and calmed down the situation.

Though matters did take a turn when, now in Byres Road in Kilwinning, White and the unknown man stood up to leave the bus.

The complainer stood across the aisle, blocking their exit, before trying to headbutt the 32-year-old - who is described on court papers as a prisoner of HMP Kilmarnock.

In reaction, White struck the man twice on the head with his Buckfast bottle, the second strike smashing the bottle.

The bus then stopped and White made off from the vehicle with his friend. Witnesses observed the complainer lying on the bus floor bleeding heavily.

Police were called and arrived on the scene before taking the man to Crosshouse Hospital where he required stitches for his injuries.

White was later identified, traced and arrested before he was cautioned and charged making no reply.

He was granted bail following his initial court appearances though was later remanded in custody when the matter was raised as a warrant.

Defending, solicitor Steven Maxwell commented: "Given his record of previous convictions the observation of the court will be that custody is the only disposal available. He accepts that he clearly overreacted.

“Having heard the facts and seen CCTV I hope your lordship shares the view that he did, on a number of occasions, not rise to the bait – until such point as there was a headbutt on him.

“He did what he could and when the matter escalated he acted in the way he did and he will face the consequences for that.”

Before sentencing, Mr Maxwell also asked Sheriff Murdoch Mactaggart to take into account that White had pleaded guilty at the earliest possible opportunity.

Sheriff Mactaggart said: “Given your record there is no possible disposal other than a custodial one.”

White was sentenced to spend a total of 18 months in prison, which was backdated to July 16, when he was first remanded in custody.