An Irvine man guilty of kicking dogs, punching a woman in front of her eight-year-old niece, assaulting a man and making a racist comment has received a community payback order with a compensation requirement.

Christopher Thomas Galloway, 58, received a community payback order for 150 hours, to be completed within six months, as an alternative to imprisonment when he appeared before Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Monday.

He was also ordered by the court to pay a compensation requirement of £300.

Galloway was found guilty on March 30 of nine out of the 12 charges against him regarding incidents in various parks.

The court heard that on January 1, 2017, at Springfield Gardens in Irvine, Galloway kicked a golden retriever, which he claimed had bitten his dog Tash.

He then repeatedly punched the retriever’s owner on the head, breaking his glasses.

Galloway struck again on January 27 at Eglinton Country Park when he tried to punch a woman and kicked her dog.

He also shouted and swore at her, raised his hand in a clenched fist and called her “a P*** bitch”, all of which he denied.

He said: “I’m telling the truth 100 per cent. “I wouldn’t punch a woman on purpose. I never have.”

The court also heard that on February 13, a young woman was walking her two Jack Russells in Eglinton Park when she encountered Galloway.

She was with her mother and sister, and her sister’s eight-year-old daughter and springer spaniel.

The witness told the court that the three dogs ran towards Galloway’s dog to play.

At that point the younger Jack Russell barked and Galloway kicked him on the head.

The woman confronted Galloway, and her sister tried to take his photograph with her phone so they could show the police.

Galloway punched the woman on the mouth, causing bruising and swelling to her lip, and chipping her tooth.

He also threatened to phone a vet and get the three dogs put down.

Galloway then kicked the woman’s sister’s dog, also on the head.