A man who ran over his mother's former partner after being told he had "battered" her has been jailed.

Robert Coleman hit Stephen Haggerty with his car at speed, throwing him into the air and leaving him with multiple injuries.

Sentencing Coleman at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday, judge Lady Scott described it as a "serious act of violence".

Mr Haggerty had been in an on and off relationship with Coleman's mother for 15 years.

Lady Scott said Mr Haggerty had a history of mistreating her and told Coleman she had taken this into account when sentencing him.

Mr Haggerty had also written letters expressing the hope that Coleman would be dealt with as leniently as possible.

She described the 28-year-old as a "family man" and a "positive father figure" to two children.

"On the day in question you were told by your mother that [Mr Haggerty] had battered her and finding the victim in the street there was an exchange... where he issued threats," Lady Scott said.

"But this assault was not an instantaneous reaction... I cannot accept this was a split-second decision."

Lady Scott sentenced Coleman to two years and eight months in jail, reduced from four because of his early guilty plea.

The court previously heard the details of the incident that led to the attack on Mr Haggerty on September 17 last year.

He had gone to Jacqueline Hartley's flat in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, and the former couple had an argument over money.

Ms Hartley claimed Mr Haggerty had thrown her mobile phone against a wall during the argument before grabbing hold of her handbag as she tried to leave the room.

She fell to the floor and called on her brother, Colin, who was staying in the flat below.

Mr Hartley told Mr Haggerty to leave and called Coleman, who appeared in his silver Volkswagen Golf five minutes later.

The 28-year-old drove his car alongside Mr Haggerty and accelerated into him before braking sharply, throwing Haggerty into the air against a nearby wall.

Mr Haggerty needed surgery to repair a broken bone in his right arm and the court heard medical evidence indicated the injuries were "serious and potentially life-threatening".