A SELF-CONFESSED "functioning alcoholic" who broke a woman's shoulder and attacked a baby after 'taking acid for the first time' has been jailed.
Michael Fleming unleashed a barrage of punches on the female victim and also hit an infant child during the violent incident.
He was led away from the dock in tears after he pleaded guilty to a pair of assault charges at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court this week.
The offences took place after the 40-year-old had "taken acid for the first time", the court was told.
The incident started on May 11 this year, at a property in Ardrossan, procurator fiscal depute Gemma McKechnie said.
The court heard that Fleming had attended the home in an agitated state, with his behaviour described as erratic, and he stated to the woman that he "trusted no one".
The pair consumed alcohol together until Fleming said he was not feeling well and asked for his car keys.
The fiscal depute said the woman refused to pass Fleming the keys due to his intoxicated state and an argument broke out resulting in him leaving the property.
However, he returned - in what was now the early hours of the following morning - entering the house while the woman was holding her baby.
Fleming then began throwing punches at her, with blows catching both her and the child.
The complainer fell to the ground and had to use her hands to protect the baby as she continued being struck.
The woman pleaded for Fleming to stop before he eventually left the property again.
The hearing was told that Fleming contacted police himself to say he had injured someone, and officers who attended noted that the baby had sustained a small cut to their nose and had a large lump on their head.
Both the child and their mother were taken to Crosshouse Hospital where the woman was found to have a broken shoulder.
Fleming was traced later that morning, on Central Avenue in Ardrossan, and taken to Kilmarnock police office.
Fleming's solicitor Scott Agnew said the facts were "very upsetting" to his client.
"But that would not come close to how terrifying this must have been to this woman," he added.
"Luckily there was not long-lasting damage caused to that child."
Mr Agnew explained that Fleming had problems with his drinking and described himself as a "functioning alcoholic" though he had "consumed elsewhere" that evening.
The solicitor stated that Fleming, listed as a prisoner at HMP Perth, had plans to go to see friends after visiting the woman but was getting on so well with her he decided to stay.
It was at this stage that he took acid "for the first time" and his behaviour became instantly erratic.
Mr Agnew added: "He does not recall his actions after this but does remember phoning police asking for help due to his hallucinations.
"On this occasion he completely lost control of his inhibitions."
Before Sheriff George Jamieson passed sentence, the lawyer stated that the accused had recently undergone a 16-day alcohol detox and planned to engage further with services once liberated.
Sheriff Jamieson sentenced Fleming to 16 months imprisonment, backdated to his initial remand on May 13.
He remained tearful as he was taken away from the dock by custody officers.
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