A THUG battered his pensioner neighbour with a spade and left him needing 10 staples in his head after a row erupted into violence.
Jim Stevenson, 58, had been friends with James Woodside, 73, but had fallen out over a dispute.
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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.
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.
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“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 said: “The accused and James Woodside were previously friends but had not spoken for a year because of an on-going neighbour dispute.
“Mr Woodside left his property at 1.30am to put rubbish in his bin and put it in the street for collection.
“While putting out his bin he heard a bang and saw the accused banging on his window who he ignored and carried on his business.
“The accused then exited his property and asked Mr Woodside for a square-go and the accused then walked over and punched Mr Woodside in the face.
“He retaliated by punching the accused in the face and they began rolling about on the ground in the garden.
“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.”
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Bobby Reid, defending, said: “Mr Stevenson suffered injuries to his eye and leg but does accept the injuries to Mr Woodside were far worse.”
Sheriff John Speir deferred sentence on Stevenson until January and continued bail.
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