A violent criminal has avoided being returned to prison despite social workers warning he couldn't be managed in the community.

Stephen Fleming, 43, was jailed in 2022 for bottling a man on the head in a property in Alexandria to his severe injury.

He admitted grabbing the victim by the clothes and hair, attempting to fight with him and then striking him with the bottle on September 24, 2021, in a Pappert home.

And he pleaded guilty to shouting, swearing and repeatedly uttering threats of violence, acting in an aggressive manner and brandishing the bottle.

He was jailed for 40 months as well as an additional 12 months of supervised release. He was ordered to take drug and alcohol counselling on his release.

But he was brought back to Dumbarton Sheriff Court on May 21 for breaching his supervised release.

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Fleming has remained at liberty in the community and the case had been delayed for the court to continue consideration of the beach - and what to do about it.

And a decision has been put off again.

Sheriff William Gallacher hit out at Fleming: "It's not acceptable. It's not compliance with the order."

He said he would not put social workers through the situation of having to deal with the criminal.

Defence solicitor Scott Adair said: "He has been through the whole system more than enough times before.

"He has provided clean [drug] tests to the service. He has remained out of trouble.

"He had come out of a lengthy sentence from the High Court. He had a relapse. And he has had to go through a custodial sentence again.

"There is a challenging attitude to everything that's going on."

Mr Adair said his client had his "own methods" of tackling issues and it was "easy to say he is not complying" with the court order.

"I'm furious about doing it," the sheriff hit back, stating that supervised release has requirements, not suggestions. "Nobody requires him to consent to the order."

"This is not a free-for-all."

When Fleming kept trying to talk from the dock, the sheriff said: "You still won't shut up.

"The poor supervising officer gets confronted with this again and again."

Sheriff Gallacher acknowledged the man needed support and instruction - and his lawyer said he wouldn't get that going back to prison.

The sheriff read from the report on Fleming's breach, which stated "It's not possible to manage him in the community".

"I want him to comply with the order," he said. "He is a complete pest in terms of controlling him."

Mr Adair assured the court his client would comply.

The sheriff deferred consideration of the breach again.

He told Fleming: "This is much too hard work. Your arrogance is outrageous. I have heard you will comply. I will allow the order to continue with very great reluctance."

He warned that even one instance of challenging his supervising officer would be a breach, he would be returned to court, and "I will send you back to prison - not might, will."

The sheriff added: "The amount of time and effort on this is outrageous."