A man shoved his girlfriend to the ground then reversed his car over her body after she told him he was too drunk to drive.

Robert Lovelock, 27, from New Stevenston, North Lanarkshire, who is also known as Robert MacDonald, drove his Vauxhall Corsa over Nicole Allan on April 10.

He admitted pushing Ms Allan to the ground and then driving over her to the danger of her life in the incident on Farm Road, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire.

Lovelock was originally charged with attempted murder, but his plea to the lesser offence was accepted by the Crown.

He also admitted striking her stepsister Elizabeth Cavanan on the body with the car.

Lovelock was sentenced to five years in prison at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday.

Judge Sean Murphy QC told him: "This is your fifth conviction for violence. You present a significant danger to the public."

The judge ordered Lovelock to be monitored in the community for three years after his release.

The couple had been visiting Ms Allan's relatives and at 10pm he said he wanted to go home.

Prosecutor Allan Nicol told the court: "They had a disagreement and Nicole Allan told the accused she was not leaving as her mother had arranged to pick them up and that he could not drive as he had been drinking."

The row continued outside the relative's house on the driveway. Lovelock got into his car and there was a struggle as Ms Allan, accompanied by Ms Canavan, tried to stop him driving away.

He got out the car, pushed her to the ground and then attempted to drive off.

She leaned into the car through the front passenger window and was dragged a short distance before she fell to the ground.

At this point Lovelock stopped the car and then reversed, knocking Ms Canavan to the ground and driving over Ms Allan who was still lying on the ground.

Lovelock then drove forward and got out the car and spoke to Ms Allan, before driving off.

Ms Canavan and her partner helped Ms Allan into their home and called police and an ambulance.

Ms Allan was taken to Hairmyres Hospital suffering from a cut to her forehead and bruising to her body and elbow and tenderness in her lumbar area. Ms Canavan suffered a fracture to a wrist bone.

Mr Nicol said: "At the time of the accident, although it was dark, the street lights were on and the accused would have been able to see Nicole Allan and Elizabeth Canavan and would have been fully aware of their presence."

The court heard that fibres from Ms Allan's top were found of the car's axle and marks were found on the rear of the car consistent with her head and upper body coming into contact with it as it reversed over her.

Lovelock , who is a prisoner in HMP Addiewell, also admitted assaulting Ms Allan on January 13 at his home on Woodside Street, New Stevenston

He caused her to fall and then as she lay on the floor bit her and kicked her repeatedly on the body.

She tried to get up and leave, but the accused got a knife and told her to stay. She eventually managed to leave the house and phone the police.

Defence QC Tony Graham said: "The accused was in a volatile relationship with Ms Allan. This relationship is now at an end."