A man has denied a knife assault and brandishing a blade and a hammer at police officers in Stevenston.

Michael Fisher, 33, listed as a prisoner at HMP Kilmarnock, pleaded not guilty to assaulting a man and striking him on the body with a knife to his injury.

He also pleaded not guilty to carrying a knife at Hayocks Post Office and on Hayocks Road on January 14 earlier this year.

Fisher had pleaded guilty to uttering threats of violence whilst brandishing a knife and hammer at police officers in Forde Crescent, and of shouting, swearing and uttering threats of violence at Saltcoats Police Station, but those pleas were rejected by the Procurator Fiscal.

His lawyer told the court that he had lodged a special defence of self defence for one charge, and a defence of reasonable excuse for another two.

The Fiscal Depute added that no matters were capable of agreement by the parties, and that a three day trial had been set for June 17.

Fisher was remanded in custody until that date.