A ROYAL Marine left his pal unconscious on the ground with a brain bleed after punching him on the head in a Helensburgh street.

A court was told that Andrew Hind - who has since left the service - swung three punches at his pal after the friend told him to stop hurling verbal abuse at a woman.

Hind pleaded guilty to causing his victim significant injuries as a result of a single punch in the attack in West Clyde Street last year.

Fiscal depute Maria Murdoch told Dumbarton Sheriff Court that Hind and his friend - also a Royal Marine - had left the Clyde Bar at closing time on June 9, 2022.

Ms Murdoch said the pair then spoke to a woman in the street outside 

"There became a discussion about the accused to refrain from verbally abusing the female," said the prosecutor.

"The accused then swings a punch at the complainer, and the accused thereafter falls to the ground.

"He then gets up and swings another punch.

"It's not clear from CCTV whether the second connected with the complainer or not.

"He then punched a third time to the right side of the man's face. That does connect, and the complainer falls to the ground and at that point appears unconscious.

"As the complainer is lying motionless on the ground, the accused moves away and crosses the road."

At first, the 28-year-old victim denied being assaulted - and when police later quizzed Hind, he said he was the one attacked.

Hind's pal was taken to hospital and when he awoke there, he didn't remember how he got his injuries.

The man was left with a broken jaw and a fracture to the right side of his nose - and a bleed on the brain.

There was surgery for the broken jaw but doctors said he didn't need medical intervention for the brain bleed.

Hind, of Pilgrims' Way, Durham, was charged with assault by punching the man to the head, rendering him unconscious to his severe injury and the danger of his life.

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to an amended charge, with the reference to endangering the victim's life removed.

Hind's solicitor said the deletion was because a doctor had said the victim's injuries were not life threatening.

He added that Hind has started a new job and "moved on with his career" and had "left the Royal Marines".

Sheriff Euan Cameron called for social work and restriction of liberty assessments and deferred sentence until next month.