A thug who battered his pensioner neighbour with a spade after a row erupted into violence has dodged jail and been ordered to pay him £1,500 compensation.
Jim Stevenson, 58, had been friends with James Woodside, 73, but had fallen out over a minor dispute.
Mr Woodside had been putting rubbish out when he heard a window being banged and turned to see Stevenson staring at him.
The yob then left his property in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, and demanded a 'square-go' with the pensioner.
He punched Mr Woodside who then retaliated and a scuffle broke out in the garden.
But as Mr Woodside lay on the ground, Stevenson grabbed a nearby spade and repeatedly struck him with it.
The force of the blows left the pensioner covered in blood before the violence was brought to an end and both men returned to their homes in April last year.
Mr Woodside, a retired salesman, was taken to hospital where he needed 10 staples to his head and seven stitches to a wound on his thigh.
Stevenson appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
He was tagged for nine months by Sheriff John Speir and ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative to custody.
Stevenson was also given a non-harassment order for three years, ordered to pay compensation and put under supervision for 12 months.
Mr Woodside, who was told he had suffered a heart attack after the incident, said he was left drenched in blood after the cowardly attack.
The father-of-four said: "This was totally out of order and a desperate move.
"We had been friends and I had been good to this guy.
"I had suffered a stroke and also have diabetes and Stevenson knew that but still attacked me with a weapon.
"I was covered in blood after it and the policemen who dealt with the aftermath looked horrified at the state I was in."
Depute fiscal Jennifer Cunningham had earlier told the court Mr Woodside had been attacked at 1.30am as he put out his rubbish bin.
He had defended himself and fought Stevenson off before he was attacked again.
She said: "The accused then stood up and walked towards his front door and picked up a spade.
"He walked back towards Mr Woodside and swung the spade at him and repeatedly hit him on the head and body with it.
"Mr Woodside put his arms up to protect himself and said that he was bleeding heavily.
"He eventually grabbed the shovel side of the spade and shouted 'that's it' and the accused stopped hitting him."
Matthew McGovern, defending, said: "I appreciate this is a serious matter where custody would be well merited but the decision here has to be whether the court can deal with it by way of a custodial sentence or if he could be dealt with in the community.
"He recognises the impact this behaviour has had on the victim, has shown remorse and takes full responsibility for his actions and knows he has to be punished for this."
Sheriff Speir said: "There is no escaping that this was a significant assault resulting in Mr Woodside receiving 10 staples in his head and seven stitches in his thigh.
"The nature of the offending is that I do have to seriously consider a custodial sentence in this case but you have expressed remorse and are deemed a low risk of reoffending."
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