'Bully' kicked sister with steel toecaps, a court hears
A farm worker who viciously attacked his sister in front of their elderly father – punching and kicking her with steel-capped boots – was called a "violent, controlling bully" by a judge.
Edward Bourne, 48, forced her to the ground, pulled her hair and picked up a kettle with part-boiled water inside during what Judge Robin Onions described as a "targeted" and "sustained assault".
Judge Onions said: "It paints an unhappy, distressing picture. For many years you have been a bully.
"Your behaviour should have been stopped in its tracks a long time ago. You are a violent, controlling bully of your father and sister."
The attack took place before the 83-year-old father following a dispute over family matters at the farm where they all worked on August 10 last year, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told yesterday.
A family friend, who arrived as the assault took place, pulled him away from the victim, prosecutor Mr Paul Spratt said.
During the attack some of the part-boiled water had spilled on to the defendant's father and following this Bourne proceeded to throw foodstuffs around the kitchen, the court heard.
The victim was left with serious knee injuries, bruising and a clump of her hair fell out following the attack, the court heard.
Bourne, who previously worked at the farm which is now run by his father and sister, pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on June 15.
Mr Spratt said: "It was a very unhappy and violent set of circumstances at the farm that this man lived at with the victim."
He told the court that an argument had broken out over the victim attending a birthday party where the defendant's children were attending and over the use of a Land Rover at the farm.
Mr Spratt said: "He said his sister had behaved in a traitorous manner. He spat into her face, struck her face on three occasions and grabbed her hair with considerable force in front of their 83-year-old father."
Bourne, of Teme Street, Tenbury Wells, was handed a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £700 costs and a restraining order was issued for him to stay away from the victim.
Judge Onions said: "
The medical evidence is by no means clear but your sister sustained injuries in a sustained assault that went on for some time. The steel-capped boots were an equivalent for a weapon.
"Your father really deserves better than this. I cannot, as a father and grandfather, imagine anything worse than seeing your own children fighting."
