A MAN found topless and covered in blood kicked out in a police vehicle knocking the elbow of the driver near Erskine Bridge.

Drunk Stephen Gardener was picked up in the early hours of the morning after reports of a disturbance near Cardross rail station.

He was found in shorts with injuries to his face and accompanied by a dog without a lead.

Police handcuffed him and took him to a van and he began to be abusive, shouting and swearing and calling them terms such as "paedos", "pigs" and "c*nts".

"If I see you in the street, I'm going to f*****g stab you," he told them.

At one point, he spat blood in the face of an officer.

Officers stopped near Erskine Bridge to apply a spit hood to the man before continuing their journey.

Gardener then kicked out his legs, kicking through the centre console, which knocked the elbow of the driver.

He continued his abuse when they arrived at Clydebank police office.

The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to acting in an aggressive manner, repeatedly shouting, swearing, uttering derogatory remarks and threats of violence towards police. The crime on July 9 was in the course of a journey from Cardross rail station to Clydebank police office.

He also admitted assaulting an officer by spitting blood on his face, and to assaulting a second one by kicking her on the body while she was driving.

While on bail for a separate matter, he also failed to return to his home for two days at the end of September, breaching a curfew. He admitted that offence as well.

At Dumbarton Sheriff Court on November 19, defence solicitor Phil Lafferty said he accepted his client could face custody.

"Matters are serious and Mr Gardener understands that," he said. "He was fairly intoxicated and significantly injured from a fall he sustained.

"There are a number of issues going on in his life. There are a number of positive elements to the [social work] report.

"For the first time, he is opening up to the acceptance that alcohol is a significant issue for him that he needs to address."

Gardener, of Graham Road, Dumbarton, was on an existing community payback order and was said to be "eager" to "put his offending behind him".

Sheriff Euan Cameron said: "You don't need me to tell you you behaved in an absolutely appalling manner.

"You endangered [the officers] and endangered yourself. The circumstances of your background make for depressing reading."

He imposed a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody. Gardener must do 200 hours of unpaid work in the community within a year.

He will be under supervision by social workers for that period and must take alcohol counselling as directed.

He will be under a curfew for the next six months, from 7pm to 7am daily.

The sheriff warned that if Gardener breached the order, he would most likely go to prison.