A MAN who taught his former partner self-defence techniques ended up in a coma - when she used the skills on him after he had threatened her.

David Gordon’s family were told by medics to "expect the worst" after he was laid out cold last June 15.

Gordon, of Old Kilpatrick, had threatened his ex - who cannot be named for legal reasons - with violence just before she lashed out at him.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard on January 4 how she caught him on the throat, causing him to spend three weeks in hospital.

Gordon was arrested when he was fit to leave, and has been remanded in HMP Greenock since.

Defence lawyer Brian McGuire said: “He was admitted to hospital on June 15, last year, in a coma. The family were advised to expect the worst, but he survived. He brought it upon himself as it was he who taught his ex-partner the self-defence techniques. It came back to haunt him.

“When he recovered, he was released from hospital on July 4 and was immediately detained by police and appeared in private in court the following day. The Crown built their case with a combination of CCTV footage available, plus footage from his ex-partner’s mobile phone. He has been in custody ever since on this matter. He had been in a relationship with this woman, which could be described as volatile. It had ended two weeks prior to this incident.

“She had been getting a new boiler and he went around to the house wanting the old one. Drink had been taken. It was folly on his part. Clearly there had been difficulties in the past and the relationship was at an end. He accepts full responsibility for his involvement. He has had treatment at Turnaround, but relapsed back onto the drink.”

Gordon admitted two charges just minutes before he was due to go on trial before a jury at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last month.

He admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm on June 15, 2018 at a flat in Meadowbank Street, Dumbarton.

Gordon forced his way into the flat and refused to leave when asked to do so by his ex-partner. He was said to be repeatedly shouting, swearing and making threats of violence. He was on bail from Dumbarton Sheriff Court at the time, bail having been imposed on him on April 6, 2017.

Gordon, formerly of Thistleneuk, Old Kilpatrick, also admitted a further offence which happened last January 24 at the Stag’s Head Pub on the town’s Glasgow Road where he assaulted his ex-partner by spitting on her head.

Sheriff Simon Pender told Gordon: “I have considered everything that has been said on your behalf. All options are still open.”

Sentence was deferred until February 1 for an assessment to take place. Gordon was remanded in custody.