A MAN battered his neighbour with his crutch after a long-running neighbour dispute got out of hand.

A neighbour had to step in and pull Steven Barr off his 36-year-old female victim after he repeatedly hit her in public on Paisley Road West.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard the 55-year-old had suffered a stroke at the age of 47 and since then his life has "unravelled".

His lost his job and his long-term relationship broke down then his mother died.

Barr, his male neighbour and the neighbour's girlfriend had a lengthy history of problems.

On January 8 this year the 55-year-old snapped and chased the woman into the road outside their flats.

He used his crutch to beat her across the back, leaving bruising and marks.

Barr was arrested later that day and taken to Helen Street Police Office.

His defence brief told the court: "He had been assaulted by [the woman] on the day preceding this incident and there had been some remarks made by her.

"He has regrets about what he did and appreciates the serious position he is now in and the serious nature of the offence.

"His life has unravelled over the past few years and he has developed an alcohol problem.

"However, he has now started working on a volunteering basis at a hospice and he has started alcohol counselling."

Sheriff William Totten told Barr: "You are not an unintelligent man.

"You know this is a serious matter.

"I make no particular comment about the background but there seems to be some significant background that goes some way to explaining your actions.

"I accept you are remorseful for your actions.

"Due to your record a custodial sentence could have been imposed. Let us see if you can extricate yourself from the mess your life has become in the past eight years."

However, Sheriff Totten spared Barr jail and instead sentenced him to a Community Payback Order with 18 months supervision.

He will also wear a tag for three months, keeping him at home from 7pm to 7am.