A VIOLENT duo from Dalmellington assaulted a man and mugged him during a boozy get together.

Ross Pettigrew, 21, from Park Crescent yelled “I’m mugging you” while he demanded cash and cigarettes from his victim after repeatedly punching him on the face.

Accompanying Pettigrew was 41-year-old Gavin Paxton, 41, from Castle Croft who assaulted the same man at the property in Gateside Street in Dalmellington when they returned from drinking at Loch William. Paxton was later found too drunk to stand up lying on a nearby road with cuts to his nose.

Depute Fiscal Ed Sheeran told Ayr Sheriff Court on Tuesday, April 9: “Pettigrew became very aggressive.

“He punched the witness to the face and repeated punching.

He stated to witnesses, ‘I’m mugging you! I’m mugging you!’

“Pettigrew asked how much money he had and demanded money from him.”

The brute’s victim was taken to Ayr hospital and police conducted door to door enquiries while he suffered bruising to his face and hands.

Defence counsel Glenn Davis told the court that Pettigrew was sticking up for his girlfriend when an argument got heated.

The pair were both given Community Payback Orders which will be supervised for 18 months and handed 120 hours each of unpaid work.

They were tagged and face a curfew from 7pm and 7am for three months.

Sheriff Desmond Leslie told them: “If you offend during these orders you’re both going straight to jail and I will impose as long a sentence as I can impose.”