A BRUTE who jumped on a man's leg to break it in Clydebank has been sentenced to almost four years.

Francis Miller received the stiffest punishment out of the trio of men who were punished for what a sheriff described as a "horror".

And he was warned he might have earned a trip to the High Court for an even longer time in jail if he hadn't pleaded guilty at almost the last moment.

The 30-year-old appeared from custody at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on October 11 having spent nearly a year locked up after the incident in Waulking Mill Road, Faifley.

Gary Noon, 30, was also on remand since November 1 last year and previously admitted assaulting a man and attempting to stab him with a sharp implement.

John Devine, 34, of Hopehill Road, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to the same charge for the incident on October 28 last year.

Noon also pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon - a 60cm spiral metal object, described as an anchor used for screwing into the ground.

Miller assaulted the man with Noon and Devine by striking him on the body with a glass bottle, attempting to stab him with a sharp implement and striking him repeatedly to the face with a shovel all to his severe injury, permanent impairment and permanent disfigurement.

He also admitted assaulting a second man and striking his head with a glass bottle, jumping on his leg causing it to break, and striking him repeatedly to the leg and body with a shovel, all to his severe injury, permanent impairment and permanent disfigurement.

Devine's defence solicitor, Keith Tuck, said his client had a problem with alcohol fuelling his offending.

Sheriff William Gallacher said "Somebody was on the receiving end of an attack by him with a bottle".

He added: "Does another victim have to be on the receiving end before he grasps that?"

The sheriff noted that Devine had turned from past violence offences to road traffic ones - again with excessive alcohol.

Devine gained his freedom from a past jail sentence in March 2023, and by October his drinking led to another violent crime.

Noon's defence solicitor said his client had welcomed a new baby less than two weeks before the crime, and he had missed the first year of the child's life as a result.

The lawyer recognised the "terrible" criminal record for violence, noting the last was six years ago. And his client had pleaded guilty to a "much-reduced charge".

Miller was a different matter, however.

His defence solicitor insisted it was not his client's intention to cause trouble.

"He didn't go looking for trouble - trouble came to him," he said. "There was a fight and a fast fight. He is contrite.

"He realises what he did was wrong. He had a bad record. He has never shied away from what he did."

Sheriff Gallacher said there were two victim impact statements - one written by someone on behalf of the victim because the survivor could not manage themselves.

He described them as "harrowing reading".

The sheriff told the trio: "I listened to the account of what happened in Clydebank with horror. The [victims] were confronted with outrageous violence.

"All of you have significant past criminal history with violence."

Devine was the only one who was not jailed. He was given a community payback order with two years of social work supervision. There is a conduct requirement to accept counselling or treatment for alcohol or other substances as required.

He must also do 270 hours of unpaid work in the community within a year. He will face a review in February and was told if he doesn't comply, he will be jailed.

Noon was condemned for bringing a weapon with him and showing a disregard for other people in previous convictions.

He was jailed for 25 months, backdated to November 1. After he is freed, he will be supervised for another 12 months.

But the sheriff told Miller: "The level of violence in breaking an adult human leg is outrageous. There will be a lifelong impact in relation to your behaviour."

He imposed a 90-month extended sentence. The first 54 months, backdated to November 1, will be in custody.