AN alcoholic broke his mother-in-law’s knee and ankle in a row over a debt.
Sandra Probert needed surgery when metal plates had to be inserted to fix the breaks.
It had happened when everyone in the house appeared to be drunk, Mold Crown Court, sitting in Chester, was told.
David Pickles, 53, admitted wounding Mrs Probert and assaulting her son Wayne Probert during an incident in March last year.
But the court heard he was so drunk at the time he had no recollection of doing it.
Pickles, of Padeswood Road, Buckley, received an eight month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
He was sent on a ten-session alcohol workbook programme run by the probation service, together with a victim awareness course. An order was made that he is not to approach either victim for the next two years.
Judge Niclas Parry told him: “Keep out of their way.”
Prosecutor Sion ap Mihangel said Wayne Probert had been living with his sister, the defendant’s wife Donna, and the defendant, for about 12 months.
On March 8 last year Sandra Probert arrived at their home looking for money which she said Donna owned her.
Donna was not at home, Mrs Probert took a taxi home and her son Wayne went with
her.
On the way they saw Donna in Mynydd Isa, the taxi stopped, Mrs Probert asked about the money and Donna told her she was sorting it out.
Wayne later returned to the defendant’s home and his mother turned up a second time, an hour later the defendant and his wife returned home, and there was an argument over the money.
After a couple of hours the defendant fell asleep on the floor holding a bottle of cider.
Wayne tried to remove the bottle, the defendant woke up and started to punch him in the face.
His mother intervened, Pickles approached her and struck her to the legs with her own walking stick.
She slipped, landing on the wet floor.
“While on the floor he kicked her on her leg,” said Sion ap Mihangel. “He continued to hit her with the walking stick in his hand.”
The defendant also struck Wayne who was on the floor.
Police were called. PC Tony Butlin saw Mrs Probert on the floor and the defendant was standing in front of her drinking from a pint glass.
He said: “She came up here demanding £300.”
The officer took the view that all were under the influence of alcohol.
Arrested and interviewed, Pickles said he could not remember what had happened but denied being responsible for the assault.
But Judge Niclas Parry told him: “When it was put to you in the house that you had kicked the leg of Sandra Probert, you admitted it.
“That is what happened whether or not you remember it now.”