A GREENOCK man charged with throttling his 82-year-old mother in an alleged life-threatening assault has been released on bail.

Peter Campbell, 49, is accused of seizing the elderly pensioner's neck and compressing it whilst repeatedly striking her on the head.

Prosecutors say that Campbell — who had been locked up since the alleged serious assault — attacked his mother to the danger of her life on February 15.

The indictment against him claims that he also seized her hand, placed a knife within it and compressed her hand to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

He is said to have used a mop, or similar instrument, to repeatedly strike her head during the alleged incident within the woman's Inverkip home.

A second charge claims that Campbell behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm.

It is said by the Crown that he shouted repeatedly, acted aggressively and made threats of violence.

It is further alleged that he did, by means of bodily force, compel his mother to repeatedly strike him on the head and body with a knife.

Merchant seaman Campbell, of Neil Street in Greenock, appeared from custody at Paisley Sheriff Court to plead not guilty through lawyer Gerry Keenan to all of the allegations against him.

Mr Keenan lodged a motion for bail which was opposed by procurator fiscal depute Martina McGuigan.

Sheriff James Spy granted bail on condition that Campbell does not contact his mother, or attempt to do so, in any way and stays away from her Inverkip home.

The preliminary First Diet stage of the proceedings have been continued to June 23 for an enquiry into forensic matters.