THE son of Scotland's Solicitor General who spearheaded a drive to tackle domestic abuse has been given a community payback order for assaulting his girlfriend.
Andrew Thomson was ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work within three months for the attack on his partner.
He made his latest court appearance yesterday in the dock of the domestic abuse court at Glasgow Sheriff Court to learn his fate.
Thomson, 27, had previously pleaded guilty to pushing Heather Wallace, causing her to fall over a table at a flat in the city's Partick in January this year.
He appeared in the same court last month where it was heard that since admitting his offence he had not been of good behaviour, as requested.
Sentencing had originally been deferred for six months until August, but it emerged that Thomson - the son of Scotland's second top law officer Lesley Thomson - had been in bother with the police since.
His lawyer Edward Gilroy told the earlier hearing he had learned Thomson had "not been of good behaviour", but claimed the matters were "relatively minor".
The court was told that in May this year Thomson shouted and swore at passers-by before "challenging them to fight" while drunk.
Police were said to have intervened before Thomson was dealt with by way of a fixed penalty.
The hearing was further told claims that last month, Thomson was found in possession of cannabis.
The allegation has yet to be reported to the procurator fiscal.
It is not known where in Glasgow Thomson, also from Partick, was stopped on either occasion.
Sheriff Joan Kerr adjourned the case again until this month, for further investigations to be made into Thomson's latest misdemeanours.
Details of when the fixed penalty was imposed and the circumstances surrounding it were handed to the sheriff but not read out in court.
She then imposed a community payback order on Thomson for the domestic assault as an alternative to a fine.
Mr Gilroy told the court: "As it stands they both live in separate accommodation but are continuing with their relationship.
"Mr Thomson tells me he sees his girlfriend every day, they have a close relationship, they both appreciate that there were issues concerning alcohol consumption that were impacting on their relationship."
He added that it was serious because of the domestic aggravation but said it was of the on the "lower end of the spectrum".
Thomson had pleaded guilty to the assault in February - as his mother led efforts to tackle domestic violence.
Miss Thomson had received widespread acclaim as she bid to toughen up laws in connection with assaults at home.
Her move received support from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and across the political spectrum.
Thomson had also faced an allegation of behaving in a threatening manner and making abusive remarks towards his girlfriend on the day of the assault.
Thomson was further alleged to have hindered two constables by refusing to get dressed when later at a police station.
But, not guilty pleas were accepted by prosecutors at the previous hearing.
Thomson had previously been in trouble in 2013 when he was fined £1,100 after he ploughed into a marquee while more than double the drink-drive limit.
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