AN Ellesmere Port man who attacked his victim with a plank has been spared an immediate jail sentence.

David Wayne Aldis, 39, of Cambridge Road, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon, criminal damage to a car, and assaulting two people.

Appearing at Chester Magistrates Court on Wednesday, June 9, Aldis was handed a 22-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Prosecuting, Jonathan Wilkinson said it was 5.25am on May 16 when victim Adam Fearns-Pugh could hear shouting in the street, and saw Aldis grabbing a woman – Katrina Whitham – with both hands, shouting: "I will drag you there myself."

She was screaming and Aldis punched Mr Fearns-Pugh's vehicle twice, causing no damage.

Mr Fearns-Pugh shouted at Aldis not to hit his car, to which Aldis replied: "Come down here then."

Aldis was then holding a 1.5-metre plank of wood, said to be part of a fence, and was holding it "like a baseball bat", in the incident on Cambridge Road.

He swung the plank at Mr Fearns-Pugh's face, causing a cut to the victim's inner lip, before punching Mr Fearns-Pugh three or four times to the face, causing bruising.

Aldis then put a key in between his knuckles so the key was poking through between his fingers, leading Mr Fearns-Pugh to back off.

The defendant then hit random vehicles, knocking the wing mirror off a Nissan Micra.

Aldis had seven previous convictions for 10 offences, but other than drink-driving offences in 2018, had not been in trouble since 2001.

Defending, Rebecca Boswell said Aldis had been drinking and was not thinking properly at the time.

He was remorseful and accepted alcohol had escalated matters, and since the incident had sought help and had stopped drinking.

A probation report had assessed him as a low risk of reoffending and custody "would not address his issues".

Magistrates sentenced Aldis to 12 weeks for the weapon, plus four weeks consecutively for the criminal damage, and six weeks consecutively for the two assaults.

The combined 22-week sentence was suspended for two years, and Aldis must complete a two-year community order to include 35 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

He must undergo 120 days of an alcohol abstinence monitoring programme.

Aldis must pay Mr Fearns-Pugh £200 compensation, plus a £122 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

The plank was to be forfeited and destroyed.