Bully, 58, attacked boy,11

A bully has been rapped for slapping a schoolboy.

Christopher Mowles, 58, pinned the lad, 11, down and smacked his legs during a row at his home.

He had grabbed the schoolboy by the scruff of the neck just days earlier.

During a hearing at Paisley Sheriff Court, Mowles admitted assaulting the youngster.

Prosecutor Frank Clarke told how he lost his temper after the child twice visited his house.

He said: “For whatever reason, there may be anger issues.

“The boy attended the kitchen and asked for a drink.

“He turned to leave and he was taken hold of around the shirt area and pulled back into the kitchen and held against a wall.

“One hand held him against the wall up at the clavicle area.

“He was turned around and taken hold of by the back of the shirt and forcefully thrown out the kitchen.

“The following week, the second incident occurred.

“He took hold of the boy and threw him onto a settee.

“He restrained him and slapped him on the leg.”

Mowles lashed out after he had been tasked with looking after the lad.

He slapped him in front of others during the second altercation at his home.

The former rail worker also launched a set of keys at him which hit him in the stomach.

The court heard he lost his temper between July 19 and August 13 last year.

Defence lawyer Bob Kerr insisted his client regretted hitting the youngster.

He said: “He’s a single man and lives alone.

“He ha s b e e n in employment throughout his life. He was working in a train yard.

“It became clear to him his mind was not on his work.”

Mowles was ordered to take part in a social work probe.

Sh e r i f f James Spy demanded he speak to experts to learn more about his background.

He said: “I will defer sentence for four weeks for the purpose of obtaining a criminal justice social work report.

“You will be ordained to appear.”

Mowles, of Gertrude Place, Barrhead, has been ordered to return to court next month.