A HELENSBURGH man has been jailed for more than two years for a string of offences dating back over four years.

William Cooper, previously of West Princes Street, had a serious of crimes under his belt in that time including violence towards women, theft, racial abuse and breaches of the peace.

The 33-year-old returned to Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week and his defence solicitor, Brian McGuire, said his client viewed prison as inevitable.

Mr McGuire said: "He was on a drug treatment and testing order but then there was difficulty with his tenancy. He lost that and turned to alcohol and that led to further offending involving an ex-partner."

On May 16, 2013, in Crossloan Road, Govan, Cooper attacked a woman, compressed her neck, chased her from the property, seized her by the body, threw her to the ground, stood on her, compressed her neck and repeatedly punched her to the head causing her to fall to the ground again, all to her injury.

He also failed to appear for a hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court while on bail for the case in 2015.

Then, on March 11 last year, at the Co-op in Sinclair Street, Helensburgh, he stole a bottle of rum.

Less than two weeks later, on March 23 at Aldi in Bank Street, Alexandria, he stole two bottles of vodka, just three days after he was released on bail.

On April 3, at Lifestyle Express in East Princes Street, he shouted and swore and made a racial remark while refusing to leave.

And on May 4, 2017, at Main Street, Alexandria, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, shouted, swore and repeatedly struck a window.

Then, at the Tesco Metro in Sinclair Street on June 15, he stole a quantity of alcohol again – he was on bail from Dumbarton Sheriff Court on June 2 at the time.

And finally, on January 25, 2018, in Williamson Drive, Helensburgh, he shouted, swore, uttered offensive remarks to his ex-partner, breaching three bail orders.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said the court had been trying to use alternatives to custody but to no avail.

He told Cooper: "It's very difficult for me to look ahead and see the future holds anything other than longer and longer periods of custody."

Cooper must serve 25 months in jail and then will be supervised for a further six months after his release.