A THUG tried to kill a man who attempted to calm him down after he was kicked out of a pub.

Oliver Winters, 31, repeatedly slashed Stuart Murray, 37, with a Stanley knife near to Callum's Bar in Johnstone last December 16.

One wound on the victim's neck was close to major blood vessels including his jugular vein and carotid artery.

Winters, who has 24 previous convictions, is now behind bars after he pleaded guilty to an attempted murder charge at the High Court in Glasgow.

He will be sentenced at a later date.

Prosecutor James Irvine told how both men had been in the busy pub but were not in each other's company.

Winters was later escorted out by staff following a "disturbance".

Mr Irvine: "Winters was then heard shouting, swearing and issuing challenges to fight.

"Stuart Murray and another man left the bar to de-escalate the situation.

"Mr Murray approached Winters and stated: 'What are you playing at?'."

There ended up a struggle in the street before Winters was seen brandishing a six-inch Stanley knife taken from his jacket.

Mr Murray tried to jump a fence to get away but fell on his back.

Mr Irvine: "While the man was on the ground, Winters repeatedly struck him on the head and body with the knife.

"Mr Murray used his hands to try and protect his face."

The victim suffered wounds to his face, neck, wrist and chest. He managed to get back into the pub to get help.

He later needed an operation to repair severe damage to a tendon and nerve in his wrist. As a result, it is unlikely he will regain full feeling in one of his fingers.

Winters was arrested the next day at his mother's home in Paisley, also Renfrewshire.

Sentencing was deferred for reports.