A parking row came to a violent conclusion when a man attacked a stranger with a baseball bat.
David Hyatt's partner had got into an argument with the victim when she parked outside his home and refused to move her car when asked. Newcastle Crown Court heard Hyatt then went to the victim's home and attacked him with the wooden weapon.
Prosecutor Omar Ahmad told the court: "On June 24 2020 the complainant had a dispute with a female in a car outside his address when she refused to move her car." Mr Ahmad said Hyatt went to the house the following day and confronted him and then went back again on June 27.
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Mr Ahmad told the court: "There was a knock on the door and the complainant opened the door to the defendant, holding a wooden bat. He immediately began swinging it and he struck the complainant with the bat on the back of the head.
"The second strike struck him in the same place, causing him to fall to the floor. While on the ground the defendant continued to strike him on the side of his back."
The court heard the victim, who suffered bruising and swelling, managed to kick the door closed and Hyatt drove off. Hyatt, 56, of Silver Lonnen, Newcastle, admitted assault on the basis he did not use a bat in the attack but after a trial of issue a court concluded that he did use the weapon.
The victim said in a statement: "I am so scared that this male will come back and assault me that I am leaving my home and staying with a friend for the time being. I keep thinking how much worse the injuries could have been."
The court heard Hyatt has no previous convictions. John Crawford, defending, urged the judge to suspend any prison sentence.
Recorder Christopher Rose sentenced Hyatt to 32 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with a two month curfew, a five year restraining order and £500 compensation. The judge told him: "It seems shortly before you committed this offence there had been an exchange between him and your partner over parking and you took it upon yourself to visit his address on the evening of June 27 and when he answered the door you set about him with a baseball bat.
"You continued to attack him once he collapsed to the floor and it left him bruised and in need of hospital treatment." The judge said the prison sentence could be suspended because Hyatt has been assessed as a low risk of re- offending, has positive character references and is capable of rehabilitation.
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