Thug broke man's hip over grudge
A thug broke the hip of a man over a minor grudge he had been harbouring for weeks, a judge heard.
Virgin Trains worker Stephen Purser was so angry he head butted a wall before attacking Anthony Pilsbury in Whitburn Close, Pendeford, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
The victim returned home from walking his dog to discover a neighbour and the defendant drinking on the patio of the flats block and went to join them, explained Miss Joanne Barker, prosecuting.
Purser, a 40-year-old single man, left soon afterwards and appeared to be in a bad mood when he came back later in the evening on June 29, it was said.
He was ushered into one of the flats where he injured himself banging his head against a wall before emerging and walking straight up to 56-year-old Mr Pilsbury, the court heard.
Miss Barker continued: "The defendant punched him straight in the face, knocking him backwards and causing him to fall awkwardly, fracturing his hip."
Purser claimed to have argued with the victim two or three weeks earlier and alleged that the other man had flicked him on the back of the neck.
The attack had a 'huge impact' on the life of Mr Pilsbury, now 57, who had surgery to mend the damaged hip, spent eight days in hospital and may need a further operation, said Miss Barker who concluded: "There is no time scale for when he will be back living life again."
Mr Simon Hanns, defending, commented: "It is incredibly sad that something arising out of a trivial incident some weeks earlier should result in such a serious offence. He has problems with his anger and let it bubble over after drinking."
Purser from Coldridge Close, Pendeford, who was of previous good character, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and was given a 12 month jail sentence suspended under supervision for two years with 180 hours unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £2,000 compensation to the victim.
Judge Martin Walsh told him: "Whilst heavily intoxicated and in loss of temper you punched the victim, knocking him to the ground, causing a severe fracture to the hip for which I am told a further operation be necessary in the future. But I fully accept that you did not intend causing an injury of this gravity."
