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A violent thug launched an unprovoked attack on a 69-year-old jogger and bit another man’s ear off.

Sean McCall, 24, of George Street, Paisley, pled guilty to assaulting pensioner Thomas Lamond to his severe injury and disfigurement by stamping and kicking him at 6am on February 4, last year.

This happened at the cycle path near Canal Street in Paisley.

McCall also admitted biting off the ear of Kenneth Crowhurst on June 17 last year at a house in Bruce Road, Paisley.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Mr Lamond, who was covered in blood, suffered a broken jaw, swelling and cuts and bruises to his face and lost a tooth in the brutal unprovoked attack.

Mr Lamond begged a passing woman, who saw the attack and stopped her car to help: “Missus, gonnae help me.”

She told McCall to leave Mr Lamond alone and said she was calling the police.

Prosecutor Kath Harper said: “She watched as the accused repeatedly punched Mr Lamond, who she described as tiny and very thin.

“She shouted ‘That’s enough” and ‘I’m going to phone the police.’

“She phoned the police and McCall was still punching Mr Lamond on the head and then pulled off his top.

“Mr Lamond fell to the ground and the accused repeatedly kicked him on the face and head.”

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The court heard that McCall then rummaged through Mr Lamond pockets as he lay bleeding and helpless and robbed him of his wallet.

Mr Lamond, who jogged every day to Elderslie and back, was joined at 6am by McCall who ran alongside him and muttered something indecipherable.

When Mr Lamond told McCall to leave him alone he was attacked and feared he was going to die.

Ms Harper said: “The accused was ‘kicking like hell’ into Mr Lamond who feared he was going to kill him.”

The court heard that McCall was traced by police and Mr Lamond’s blood was found on his Nike Air Max trainers.

The second assault was on 47-year-old Kenneth Crowhurst - a friend of McCall’s mother Karen McCall.

There was ill feeling between the mother and son.

He became angry and punched and headbutted Mr Crowhurst before pinning him to the floor and biting off his left ear.

Surgeons were unable to re-attach it.

Judge Sean Murphy deferred sentence on McCall, who has previous convictions including breach of the peace, possession of drugs, vandalism and culpable and reckless conduct, for background reports.

He has been remanded in custody.

Solicitor advocate Raymond McIlwham will give his plea in mitigation when the case calls again next month.