A THUG who spat at and punched a barmaid in an Irvine pub has been locked up.

Jamie McLuckie, of Hunter Drive, carried out the drunken attack after a row over Buckfast on April 18 at the Bothan Bar.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard last week how the woman was working within the bar when McLuckie and a friend arrived at the pub with a bottle of the tonic wine.

The pair were told they couldn’t take it in but the barmaid said she would keep it behind the bar for them.

Both men ordered a drink and played a game of pool.

Things took a nasty turn, however, when they decided to leave the pub.

McLuckie, 22, became convinced that they had two bottles of Buckfast behind the bar instead of one.

An argument ensued with the barmaid and McLuckie thereafter spat on her face and punched her on the cheek.

A witness saw what occurred and noted the victim holding her eye.

Police were contacted but the pair made off before officers arrived.

Statements were taken but a short time later, someone from the Bothan Bar phoned the police to say McLuckie had returned to the pub.

Officers returned and found McLuckie who was arrested.

The brazen McLuckie told police: “I only punched her. She’s lucky that’s all that happened.”

The court heard how the victim had bruising to her left cheek and the Crown were also seeking an exclusion order from the premises.

McLuckie pleaded guilty to the charge at court last week.

Miss Spencer, defending, said her client was employed at an oyster farm in West Kilbride but lost it due to his remand period.

She asked presiding Sheriff Shirley Foran to consider calling for a report as her client was on a Community Payback Order for breaching his curfew.

Miss Spencer said there was no excuse for his behaviour “by any stretch of the imagination.”

She said ”When he drinks, he ends up in custody.”

When passing sentence, Sheriff Foran said: “I find no requirement for reports. This is an offence, taken with your record, that can only be dealt with by a custodial sentence.”

McLuckie was jailed for 10 months.