A would-be car thief stabbed its owner with a screwdriver when he confronted him on his driveway.

Ryan Coutts, 29, from Aberdeen, was attempting to steal George Smith's car in Deveron Road, Aberdeen, on October 13, last year when the brutal attack took place.

Coutts admitted assaulting Mr Smith to his permanent disfigurement and danger of his life at the High Court in Glasgow.

He also pleaded guilty to attempting to steal his car and was jailed for four years on Tuesday.

Coutts originally faced an attempted murder charge, but his plea to the reduced charge was accepted.

Judge Lady Stacey told him: "You committed a nasty offence against a man in his 60s. You and he are lucky he was not more seriously injured.

"It was an extremely dangerous thing to do and you have a very bad record."

Lady Stacey also ordered Coutts to be monitored in the community for two years after his release.

The court heard 63-year-old Mr Smith's wife Doreen woke him at 6.40am to tell him she saw a man and a woman inside his Ford Focus.

Mr Smith quickly dressed and ran out. Coutts made off when he saw him, leaving co-accused Jade Martin in the car.

She got out the passenger side and Mr Smith challenged her about what she was doing and and kicked the door shut, striking her and causing her to fall to the ground.

At this point, Coutts returned and punched Mr Smith several times to the head and then said he was going to "cut" and "stab" him.

As the two of them ran off in the direction of Springhill Road, Aberdeen, Mrs Smith heard Coutts say: "It's okay, I stabbed him."

Mr Smith suffered stab injuries to his neck, chin , lower lip and abdomen.

Martin, 29, of Aberdeen, admitted acting in a racially aggravated manner towards a police officer at Kittybrewster Police Station on October 14, last year and threatening her and threatening to blow up someone's home.

Lady Stacey ordered her to perform 80 hours of unpaid work in the community and told her: "You behaved in a disgraceful fashion in the police station.

"I hope you are ashamed of yourself, you certainly should be."