A young man who assaulted a stranger in the city centre told cops 'you would have done the same'.

Officers were called to Buchanan Street on December 30, last year, after reports of an incident.

There, they reviewed CCTV and saw Jack Forsyth, 20, punching Jamie Clark to the ground.

When Mr Clark fell, Forsyth kicked him in the head several times until a member of the public intervened.

Then, Forsyth walked away. Police caught up with him and he was arrested.

Under caution, he stated: "I jumped in for my pal, so I punched the boy, I admit it. You would do the same if it was your pal.”

He was taken to Govan police station.

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Forsyth appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court this week after he pleaded guilty to assault.

His solicitor said: "No injury is reported to the complainer. This is not something that usually happens. He has subsequently stopped drinking altogether.

"His friend got involved with a large group of men, around 12 of them. He was not looking for trouble but they were volatile towards them.

"His conduct just falls short of self-defence and defence of another. He accepts that this conduct was unacceptable."

The Kirkintilloch man was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work.