A DOG walker was assaulted in an unprovoked attack by a drunk who threatened to strangle his dog, a court heard today.

Bradley Wood, who felt the man was staring at him, began shouting aggressively at him and made threats to kill his pet.

The shocked dog owner, Stephen Wager, 54, decided to speak to him to ensure he did not follow through with his threats at which point Wood attacked him, a court heard today.

“He struck the victim over the head with a bottle and rugby tackled him to the floor and a scuffle ensued for five to ten minutes,” said Ben Berkson, prosecuting.

“The victim felt him biting him to the head and when he had been rugby tackled one of his teeth was knocked out when his head impacted the pavement. He was punched and elbowed while on the ground and was covered in blood.”

Passers-by who witnessed the assault outside the Vulcan Inn on Wargrave Road, Newton-le-Willows on the afternoon of April 15 last year tried to intervene.

“That led to him turning his aggression on them before he staggered off,” said Mr Berkson.

When arrested a short time later he was “intoxicated, agitated and injured.”

In an impact statement the victim, who had been with a female friend at the time of the shocking attack, told how he had been widowed three years earlier and he felt the incident had set him back emotionally.

His mental health problems have been exacerbated and he feels unable to go out to crowded places.

31-year-old Wood, of Burrows Avenue, Haydock, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon, a bottle.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that he has four convictions for 14 offences since 2020 including four of assault by beating. He had been released on licence the month before the attack and he was recalled to prison in June for six months for breaching a restraining order.

Michael O’Brien, defending, said that Wood now lives with his parents who are in poor health and they are his motivation to “stay clean and on the right path.”

Alcohol is a real issue for him and had become problem after his mum’s cancer diagnosis in 2020, before which he had not been in trouble.

He is currently subject to an alcohol monitoring tag as a condition of his licence and he is continuing the good progress he made in prison, said Mr O’Brien, who urged the judge to give Wood a chance.

Recorder Jeremy Lasker said, ”On the afternoon of April 15 you carried out an unprovoked and wholly gratuitous assault on Stephen Wager and the reason for your attack fuelled as it was by alcohol was simply because you took exception to the way in which you thought your victim was looking at you.”

He said that during the attack Wood attempted to strike the victim on the head for fortunately “ it was only a glancing blow because of your drunkenness.”

During the struggle he bit Mr Wager on the back of the neck and while he was lying on the ground bleeding he straddled him. As well as losing a tooth he suffered cuts to his hands, bruising and bleeding to his forehead and a mark on his neck.

When interviewed he was unable to recollect the incident because of the alcohol he had consumed.

The judge said that they were serious offences but he believed there are realistic prospects of rehabilitation “which if successful will be not only to your benefit but the benefit of all of us in the community.”

He sentenced him to 20 months imprisonment suspended for two years and imposed a 120 days alcohol monitoring requirement. He also ordered him to carry out 45 days rehabilitation activities and 150 hours unpaid work. A three year restraining order was imposed on Wood to keep away from the victim.