BACKGROUND reports have been ordered into a 41-year-old man who assaulted his former partner in a Kelso street.

Terry Kennedy also admitted a second complaint of attempting to steal a bicycle from the grounds of the Ednam House Hotel in Kelso.

Jedburgh Sheriff Court was told that around 9.30am on November 9, Kennedy approached Suzanne Baxter and started being abusive to her saying she should not have been there as she was in breach of her bail conditions and she was going to jail.

Depute fiscal Jane Rennie said: "The accused then managed to get hold of her jacket and pulled her to the ground.

"A passing witness managed to assist the woman and pulled her into her vehicle.

"But the accused again then pulled her to the ground.

"When she was lying on the ground he punched her to the head and kicked her on the body.

"The accused then walked away and witnesses assisted the complainer. The police were then contacted."

Ms Rennie said the woman was taken to Borders General Hospital but had no injuries.

Kennedy, of Kelso, was arrested and made no reply to caution and charge.

Ms Rennie then described the events on January 18 around 10pm when witnesses were in the office area of the Ednam House Hotel and saw some males outside.

She said: "They went outside and into the garage and found a male attempting to forcibly move a lock from a secure fixture where a pedal cycle was."

Police were contacted and Kennedy was identified from CCTV.

He was arrested and held in custody to appear in court the following day.

Defence lawyer Richard Gray said Ms Baxter had been staying with Kennedy and he claimed items had been stolen from his wallet which is why he followed her and confronted her.

"She was not supposed to be in Kelso and that's what he said.

"He followed her with a view to getting the items back she felt she had taken from him.

"But his action went far and beyond what was required."

Sheriff Mungo Bovey said it was a matter of concern that Kennedy had been "wrestling" his former partner to the ground and that she had to be rescued by someone else while the attempted theft suggested it was to fund a habit.

He deferred sentence for a Criminal Justice Social Work report on both matters until March 2.

Baxter, of Croft Street, Galashiels, pleaded guilty to breaching bail by being in Kelso on November 9 and also a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

Sentence was deferred until March 5 for reports.