Derek Smart punched and kicked Fiona Cochrane, knocked her to the ground and smashed an ornament over her head - after he’d flung a full carton of milk over her.

He admitted carrying out the unprovoked attack at her Arthurlie home when he appeared in the dock this week.

And he was warned that a jail term is a distinct possibility when he returns to Paisley Sheriff Court next month to learn his fate.

Amanda Gallagher, prosecuting, told the court that Cochrane had gone to bed early one night in August last year.

When she woke up at about 6am the next morning she checked her phone and noticed a series of texts and calls from Smart which she had not picked up as she’d been asleep.

She explained that, a short time after Cochrane woke up, she realised Smart was at the front door the common close, trying to get inside.

She refused to let him in and he started shouting, so Cochrane decided to let him in to her Craighead Way home so he would shouting and wouldn’t annoy her neighbours.

Gallagher told the court that, once inside, Smart lost the plot and Cochrane was on the receiving end of his rage.

She explained: “He became very angry. While sitting on a sofa the accused grabbed the complainer by the hair and dragged her on to another sofa in the living room.” Smart then rained punches on Cochrane’s head and body while roaring at his ex to go and get his clothes.

He let her up off the couch and followed her into the bedroom and then into the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen the 41-year-old kicked Cochrane so hard that she fell onto the floor.

She curled up into a ball in a bid to protect herself, but the court heard Smart was prepared to use anything which came to hand in the assault.

He grabbed a carton of milk and poured the entire contents of it over Cochrane’s head.

She got to her feet and ran to the door, pulling her mobile phone out of her pocket as she went.

Smart followed her and grabbed the phone off her before picking up a ceramic tray, which was sitting in the hall, and smashing it over her head.

He then took her bank card while Cochrane ran out onto the landing of the common close and began screaming at the top of her lungs for help.

Smart took off and Cochrane managed to phone her dad, who rushed to her home and took her to Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital.

Medics confirmed she had a burst ear drum and told her there was nothing they could give her to treat the injury.

She then headed back to Barrhead, going to the town’s police office to tell officers what had happened.

The following day, August 6, 2013, officers went to Smart’s home in Newton Mearns to arrest him.

They spotted Cochrane’s mobile phone, which had a pink cover, sitting on his couch.

And when they asked him if he had her bank card he pulled it out of the left pocket of his jeans and said: “I only took it to annoy her, I wasn’t going to use it or anything.” Officers noticed that Smart had bruising and swelling on his nipples from the scuffle with Cochrane when they arrested him.

Matthew Berlow, defending, told the court that Smart has a previous domestic assault conviction relating to a different ex.

Smart pleaded guilty to assaulting Cochrane and stealing her phone and bank card when he appeared in the dock on Wednesday, November 19.

The court heard that, when he was released on bail over the case last year, Smart was banned from approaching or contacting Cochrane or entering her home street.

She wrote to prosecutors asking to have the bail conditions lifted but Smart refused, saying he liked the “discipline” the bail conditions provided.

Sheriff Colin Pettigrew called for Smart to be assessed by social workers ahead of sentencing, adjourned the case until next month and continued his bail.

As he did so, he said: “This is a serious charge. You need not think that, as I’m allowing you the privilege of bail today, that means you’ll end up with a non-custodial disposal.

“All sentencing options will be open to me.

“The special conditions of bail are still in place and you are not allowed to contact Miss Cochrane.

“That means no phone calls, no texts, no going on social networks - none of that.

“The street in Barrhead also still remains out of bounds.”