Shrewsbury hammer blow man jailed for 18 months
A man who used excessive force to defend himself in a fight over a woman, took a hammer from his attacker and hit him so hard he fractured his skull.
Casey Hunt, 41, was given an 18-month prison sentence when he appeared at the town's Crown Court yesterday.
He will serve half the sentence before release on licence.
Hunt had been found guilty of unlawful wounding, a charge he denied, at a trial last month.
The court was told that Mr Anthony Lord, who suffered the skull fracture on December 18, 2011, had had fits and seizures since.
Judge Robin Onions, who heard that Hunt was of previous good character, said the sentence was as lenient as it could be
He told Hunt, from Priory Ridge, Shrewsbury, that it had been a case of excessive self defence.
He added: "Anthony Lord is no stranger to the courts and he was armed with a hammer.
"You disarmed him and struck him so hard with your third and disabling blow that he suffered a depressed skull fracture and has had four epileptic fits since his discharge from hospital."
Mr Richard Gibbs, prosecuting, said the incident happened outside the Castle Spring Pub at The Nabb, St Georges.
Mr Lord had been walking to see his then girlfriend, who had been in a long term relationship with Hunt.
Mr Gibbs said Hunt and two others had been outside the pub.
It had been revealed during the trial that Mr Lord had had a hammer with him.
Mr Steven Scully, for Hunt, said his client had been acting in self defence and had disarmed Mr Lord who had the hammer. Mr Lord then picked up a piece of wood and hit Hunt on his legs.
"He is remorseful for the injury that he caused," Mr Scully said.
He said that Hunt had been the carer for the woman, who had a bi-polar condition and was very protective of her.
They were now back together and he was worried about the effect on her if he went to prison."
"He has been diagnosed with anxiety and depression."
