A pub landlord attacked his 70-year-old neighbour and his wife when a row over their dustbins got out of hand.
An ongoing neighbourhood dispute over dustbins had been escalating in Beecham Street, Morecambe, in 2022, to the point that the police had been called.
At one stage, the council refused to collect the bins due to the hostility of the situation, Preston Crown Court heard.
In August 2022, Daniel Winward, the landlord of the Morecambe Hotel, went on holiday and left his father-in-law in charge. When he returned, Winward believed there had been a further row with a neighbour who said his bin was a fire risk - or would be when he set it alight, according to Lancashire Live.
On August 29, Winward was seen on CCTV walking up and down Beecham Street. When his neighbour came out of his house, Winward set upon him, striking seven or eight blows to him on the ground.
The man's wife came out, shouting: "Stop! He's a 70-year-old cancer patient!"
But Winward replied: "Well, then he's going to die anyway", Paul Cummings, prosecuting, told the court.
As the woman stepped in to protect her husband, Winward grabbed hold of her and pushed her to the floor. He then went to their house, saying he was going to trash it.
He was reported to have said: “If anyone calls the police I'll come back and finish the job off". The woman managed to get her husband to his feet and helped him into their dining room. Winward had ransacked the living room smashing a mirror, a sound bar, a TV and several ornaments.
The woman called the police and an ambulance, and her husband was taken to hospital. He had a 6cm cut over his left eye, which required sutures, and several cuts and bruises. Fortunately, an x-ray showed he had not sustained any broken bones or fractures.
The woman also had a number of cuts and bruises and Winward had caused around £1,000 of damage to their home.
Defending, Chris Hudson said the landlord had spent eight years in the Commandos and served three tours of duty on the front line in Iraq and Afghanistan. He now suffers PTSD which causes him to have a heightened perception of threat.
Since the attack he has been working with an organisation, Combat Stress, to assist with his mental health. "This is a damaged individual", Mr Hudson said.
"He was damaged in the service of his country, and that is significant. Everyone realises this got way out of hand, an argument about bins. There will be no repetition of any of this and there will be no further problems."
District Judge Paul Healey handed Winward a 10 month sentence, suspended for 18 months, with a number of conditions. He must carry out 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,000 for the damage he caused and £1,000 compensation to the couple he attacked.
The judge also made a two year restraining order and ordered Winward to pay £200 prosecution costs and a victim surcharge.
He said: "The condition you have would not be treated in prison and you would return to society with a pre-existing condition. You have strong personal mitigation and there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation."
