A MUSSELBURGH thug who kicked a police officer in the head after attacking a man to his permanent disfigurement is expected to be placed under curfew.

George Anderson kicked PC Warren Duignan to the head during an incident at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in January.

Anderson had been taken to the city hospital following an incident on Musselburgh's North High Street where he repeatedly punched victim Przemslaw Gora to the face and body.

Anderson grabbed the man and threw him to the ground before launching the assault that left the man with a permanent disfigurement.

And after being taken to the hospital, Anderson also shouted, swore and made racist remarks to the man he had previously assaulted while he was at the hospital waiting for treatment.

Anderson, 39, pleaded guilty to two assault charges and a breach of the peace when he appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month.

It was expected he would be jailed for the incidents when he returned to court last Wednesday, but Sheriff Frank Crowe decided to defer sentence again this time for a restriction of liberty assessment to be carried out.

He will return to court for sentencing on May 29.

Anderson admitted to assaulting Mr Gora by repeatedly punching him to the head and body at North High Street, Musselburgh, on January 27. He also pleaded guilty to assaulting PC Duignan by kicking him in the head at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh on the same date.

He also admitted a third charge of shouting, screaming, uttering racist remarks towards Mr Gora at the hospital, causing alarm and annoyance to staff and patients, struggling with police officers and committing a breach of the peace at the hospital on the same date.

Not guilty pleas to further charges of biting a police officer at the hospital and assaulting a woman during the North High Street incident were accepted by the Crown.