A VIOLENT thug forced his way into a house and attacked two women in a row over money, a court was told today (Thursday, July 18).

At the High Court in Glasgow Stuart McCulloch, 29, admitted assaulting 47-year-old Catherine Millar and Elizabeth McLelland on the head with a piece of wood at their home in Lawrence Place, Saltcoats, on September 6, last year.

Prosecutor Mark Mohammed said: “Catherine Millar has previously bought drugs from the accused and owed him money for a drug debt.”

The court heard that McCulloch and another man turned up with their faces masked with surgical tape.

McCulloch had a large piece of wood like a table leg with a nail on it and kept saying: “Give me the money, where is it.”

Miss Millar was pushed the floor and struck with the wood and Miss McLelland was also hit on the head. She was shouting: “Take my money, tell me what you want.”

The house was ransacked and when police arrived in response to a 999 call they found furniture overturned.

The court heard that the women were robbed of mobile phones, purses and money.

Miss McLelland had a lump on her head but did not require medical attention. Miss Millar needed stitches to cuts to the bridge of her nose and under her left eye.

McCulloch also admitted trying to kick a door in at Glebe Place, Saltcoats, on September 9, 2018 and repeatedly demanding money from the householder 42-year-old Stephen Hill.

He also pled guilty to having heroin, Etizolam and Buprenorphine in his possession in Robertson Place, Kilmarnock, on September 29, last year.

McCulloch's plea of not guilty to a charge of assaulting Jamie Calderwood to his permanent disfigurement by striking him on the head with a broken bottle at a property in Glebe Place on September 7, last year, was accepted by the Crown.

Temporary judge Graham Buchanan told McCulloch: “This is a serious matter. You have a significant record and I'm going to continue this case for background reports.”

McCulloch is in custody in Barlinnie Prison.

Defence counsel John McElroy will give his plea in mitigation when the case calls again in September.