A man needed stitches after he was punched near a Glasgow shopping centre.

Jay Donnelly and another man were sitting on a step near The Braes Shopping Centre in Castlemilk on March 29 this year, when Shay Dooley approached them.

They were talking until the third man stood up and started walking away. Dooley, 27, followed and continued to speak.

Mr Donnelly tried to step in between the two but Dooley took offence to this and struck Mr Donnelly on the face with his right fist, causing him to fall backwards and hit his head on a step.

Dooley walked away and emergency services were called.

Police and ambulance crews arrived and Mr Donnelly was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where he was seen by a doctor.

He suffered a cut to his lip and a small cut to his head, which he needed stitches for. A doctor said there would be permanent scarring.

Dooley, of Castlemilk, was located and arrested.

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He appeared in the dock at Glasgow Sheriff Court last week after he pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Donnelly to his injury and permanent disfigurement.

His lawyer said: "I understand the complainer refused to provide any details of the injury but it is accepted by my client that there was a small cut to his head.

"There appear to be previous issues between the complainer and my client’s father.

"He was in the shopping centre and came across the complainer. Words were exchanged, he saw red and he struck.

"To be fair to him, he was struck by what happened and he is remorseful. He accepts that this could have had far more serious consequences. Thankfully, the result was just a small cut."

The solicitor said Dooley has no previous convictions, is in full-time employment and is at a low risk of reoffending.

He added: "This could be submitted as conduct that is out of character.

"Clearly, the custody threshold has been met but I submit that given the report, a community-based disposal is an available alternative."

Sheriff Mary Shields fined Dooley £400 plus a £20 victim surcharge.