A MAN could face jail after he admitted racially abusing an Irish police officer on Hogmanay.

And 32-year-old Michael Fleming will also be banned from driving after he was found drunk behind the wheel of a car and refused to carry out a breath test - after assaulting a woman in Saltcoats.

He pleaded guilty to six charges against him and the court heard how he was within an address in Saltcoats and acting aggressive and abusive around 11pm on Hogmanay.

He was said to have been shouting and swearing at the woman and she had asked him to leave and ushered him to the door.

He then pushed her which caused her to fall and strike her arm and she started to cry. The court heard how he was heavily under the influence of alcohol.

Fleming, who lives in Balloch, then proceeded to bang and kick doors and windows and the police were contacted.

The police arrived and found him sitting in a vehicle with the engine running and he continued to shout and swear towards them and they noticed he had cuts on his wrists and was bleeding, whilst shouting he had AIDS.

He was asked to carry out a roadside breath test and Fleming mimicked the Irish accent of the constable and said: “F**k off you dirty Irish b*****d”.

The labourer was then arrested and taken to the police office where he was again asked for a breath test and again he refused and said that it was his choice. He was taken to Crosshouse Hospital because of the injuries to his hand.

At Accident and Emergency he was repeatedly warned about his conduct but he continued to act in a threatening manner and boasted about previous convictions before being taken back to the police office.

John McCaffrey, defending, said that his client had no issue with the narration from the crown and that he had been on bail to an address in Balloch.

Presiding Sheriff Alistair Watson said: “With your record I don’t need to get reports, I could send you to prison today. I can’t guarantee you won’t go but I’m willing to keep an open mind.

“You’re long enough in the tooth to know that it is going to be a fine run thing whether your punishment is prison or community based.”

Sentenced was deferred until next month and Fleming was disqualified from driving in the interim, with the period to be decided at sentencing. He was bailed.