A FATHER and son took on a teenage girl and her dad in the middle of Helensburgh in a dispute over a ring, a court has heard.

Stephen Thomas junior and Stephen Thomas senior previously pleaded guilty to a course of abuse including threats, assault and smashing a car window with a large stone.

Thomas jnr, now 20, admitted that on August 6, 2019, at a property in Garelochhead, he acted in an aggressive manner towards a 16-year-old girl and sent text messages which were of a threatening nature. It was aggravated by being against a partner or ex.

He also pleaded guilty to throwing a piece of stone at a moving vehicle in East Princes Street while the girl and her father were in it.

A piece of the stone struck a window, damaging the vehicle and exposing the pair to injury.

Thomas snr, 55, of Old Luss Road, Helensburgh, admitted assaulting the girl’s father and kicking him on the head to his injury.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday, April 12 that Thomas jnr had been in a relationship with the girl, then aged 16, for five years.

When it came to an end, the girl still had a ring that had belonged to Thomas jnr’s grandmother.

At about 4pm on August 6, 2019, Thomas jnr contacted his ex seeking the ring.

As part of the conversation, he sent a picture of her walking in Dumbarton with two male friends. She didn’t remember being photographed.

Below the photo, there was a caption “he’s dead” in reference to one of the males.

Thomas jnr stated: “I want that ring today. I better get it today.”

Later he wrote: “I’m kicking your dad. I want that ring right now - you’d better be in town with that ring today and bring your dad.”

They arranged to meet at Helensburgh rail station, said depute fiscal Daisy Bentley.

The girl’s father parked his car in front of that of Thomas snr. They exited the vehicle and saw Thomas jnr standing on his own.

Ms Bentley said the girl’s father carried a metal pole in his sleeve for protection, given the messages from Thomas jnr.

The dad walked over to Thomas jnr and handed over the ring.

“Thomas jnr observed the metal pole and began to throw rocks at him,” said the prosecutor.

“Thomas snr ran out of the vehicle nearby and kicked the man to the head in defence of his son.

“He pulled his son to his feet and thereafter kicked the complainer and dragged his son away.”

The father and daughter walked back to their vehicle and were driving along East Princes Street when Thomas jnr stepped in front of it and threw a large stone, causing it to shatter a window.

The man was taken to hospital with a small fracture to his cheek.

When cautioned and charged by police, Thomas jnr replied: “That’s not true.”

His father made no comment.

Thomas jnr’s solicitor said the ring had considerable sentimental value but accepted the case was a “serious matter”.

He said the relationship had started when they were in school and that the girl’s father was “used constantly as a threat during the tenure of their relationship”.

Thomas jnr precipitated that by threatening him first.

The solicitor said the father also had a “reputation for carrying a metal bar”.

Sheriff Michael Hanlon told Thomas jnr that whatever the position with his ex, his comments to her didn’t help.

He imposed a non-harassment order on Thomas jnr, of Ladyton, Bonhill, preventing him having any contact with his ex for one year.

Thomas jnr was also given a community payback order (CPO) with social work supervision for 12 months and 126 hours of unpaid work in the community within a year.

The sheriff told Thomas snr to be a “set a better example for your son” and also put him on a CPO, with a requirement to do 144 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.