A GIRVAN man who bit someone’s ear off in an incident in the town has been praised for the "amazing" way he has turned his life around.

Kern Allison left a man severely injured in the attack almost two years ago.

The 24-year-old also repeatedly punched his victim on the head and repeatedly pushed him on the body during the incident in the town's Bay Terrace on July 24, 2021.

He then threatened police and their families after breaching a condition of bail by returning to see the victim - a matter on which he is still awaiting sentence.

Allison, of Glendoune Street, was handed a community payback order (CPO) for the assault, with 18 months of social work supervision.

He was also ordered to undergo treatment at the River Garden rehabilitation unit at Auchincruive, which provides recovery services for people with addictions.

In addition to the assault charge, Allison also admitted breaching bail conditions by attempting to communicate with the victim on November 22, 2021 and by approaching and attempting to enter the victim's home address.

He pleaded guilty to a further charge of behaving in a threatening manner by shouting and swearing outside the address on November 23 that year and by making threats of violence, repeatedly hitting a door at the property with a glass bottle, threatening to force entry and throwing stones at a window.

He later threatened police officers and their families with violence while shouting and swearing in an abusive manner at Glendoune Street, and en route to Kilmarnock police station.

At a CPO review hearing at Ayr Sheriff Court last week, Sheriff Mhairi MacTaggart allowed the order to continue and deferred sentence on the other matters while praising Allison's progress in rehab.

Defence solicitor Ian Gillies said: "My lady placed him on the 18 month order. He has continued in the River Garden rehab unit and is doing well."

When the sheriff asked Allison how he felt the rehabilitation was progressing, he replied: "Amazing."

The court heard Allison had taken on the managing of gardening responsibilities for volunteers at the centre, and was now looking to get into college at a later date.

Sheriff MacTaggart added: "I think, for the difference between you now and when I first saw you, you have to be commended."

Sentence was deferred on the second matter until later in the year.