A DUNBAR man who attacked a woman by dragging her into a property and brandishing a pair of scissors at her has avoided a jail term.

Alexander Irvine pulled the woman to the ground before dragging her into the home at Lynn Lea Avenue in Haddington during a violent incident on March 19 last year.

Irvine, 31, then pulled out the scissors and held them to the victim’s neck before throwing a mobile phone at her, causing the woman injury.

Irvine, who has five previous convictions, including two domestic aggravated assaults, pleaded guilty to an amended indictment when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in August.

Sentence had been deferred for social work reports to be compiled and he was back in the dock on Monday for sentencing.

Lawyer Cameron Tait, representing Irvine, told the court about his client’s previous offending and said that he now “feels guilt and shame and takes full responsibility” for his actions that day.

Mr Tait said that Irvine acknowledged the woman must have been left “scared” by his attack on her.

The solicitor added that the couple had been in a relationship which had been over for about six months when the offence took place.

The court was also told that Irvine, of Brunt Court, was in full-time employment and had been deemed as “a low risk of reoffending” by the social work team.

Sheriff Derek O’Carroll said: “You were very fortunate indeed the Crown accepted your pleas of not guilty to [two additional charges].

“It is also important the Crown deleted [the words] ‘seize her by the throat’ and ‘stamp on her head’.

“I can tell you, you are so close to a custodial sentence.

“But I have had careful regard to the amended charges you have pled guilty to and to the report and what Mr Tait has said today.

“I am persuaded just, and only just, to impose a sentence on you as an alternative to a custodial sentence.”

Sheriff O’Carroll placed Irvine on a two-year supervision order and told him he must complete 130 hours of unpaid work in the community within the next nine months.

The sheriff also issued Irvine with a restriction of liberty order where he will have to wear an electronic tagging device and stay within his home between 7pm and 7am for the next 11 months.

In addition, Irvine was handed a non-harassment order banning him from having any contact with the woman for the next five years.