A father and son have admitted carrying out a brutal assault which left their victim needing surgery for life-threatening injuries.
Alan Payne, 39, and 18-year-old Darren Payne attacked George Rutherford, 28, in Irvine town centre last August.
The attack, which was captured on CCTV, happened following a row when Payne Snr mistook the victim for a friend who had not turned up for a night out.
Sentence on the pair was deferred at the High Court in Glasgow.
The father and son admitted assaulting Mr Rutherford to the danger of his life.
'Words exchanged'
The court heard that the attack happened in the Bridgegate area of Irvine on 25 August last year.
Mr Rutherford was in a telephone box when Alan Payne hit it with a rolled-up newspaper before walking on with his son.
Prosecutor Jane Farquharson said Mr Rutherford came out and "words were exchanged" between the men.
She added Darren Payne initially appeared "apologetic" and pulled his father away.
But decorator Alan Payne followed Mr Rutherford aiming blows at him before the 28-year-old retaliated and punched him to the ground.
Ms Farquharson said this caused Darren Payne to "react immediately" to his father being hit.
Stamping and kicking
Mr Rutherford was punched and kicked rendering him unconscious before Alan Payne joined the attack.
The defenceless victim was also stamped upon and kicked as he lay on the ground.
The pair fled before the emergency services were called.
Mr Rutherford was badly injured and required urgent surgery for life threatening injuries.
The Paynes, both from Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, were arrested near to the incident after the attack was recorded on CCTV.
They will be sentenced next month at the High Court in Edinburgh.
