Blaina man fractured neighbour's skull with a bike wheel

In a dispute with a neighbour, Liam Bridgeman, of Abertillery Road, attacked his victim with a bike wheel, with the nut of the wheel causing damage which required surgery.

Recorder Mark Cotter QC jailed Bridgeman, who was 17 at the time of the offence, adding the “appropriate punishment could only be achieved by an immediate custodial sentence.”

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The court heard how there was an ongoing dispute between members of Bridgeman’s household and their neighbour.

On April 28 last year, the victim was remonstrating with Bridgeman from outside the property, while Bridgeman was in an upstairs window.

Recorder Cotter was told how it was unclear how the victim was allowed to enter the house.

“Once he was inside your house, nothing could justify what you did to him,” said the judge.

Lowri Wynn Morgan, prosecuting, told the court Bridgeman picked up an “unusual” weapon, in the form of a bike wheel.

The victim was getting up from the floor, the court heard, when Bridgeman hit him with the bike wheel, fracturing his skull.

Ms Wynn Morgan added that Bridgeman has two previous convictions, relating to four offences – one of which was battery.

Jeffrey Jones, defending, said the author of a pre-sentence report described Bridgeman as “significantly immature,” and he had also been diagnosed with ADHD.

“He has been a neglected child for a large number of years,” said Mr Jones. “It has affected him.

“The victim was injured while clearly an unwelcome guest in the defendant’s home.

“This isn’t to play down the seriousness of what has occurred.”

“This was not self-defence,” Recorder Cotter said.

“The photographs [of the victim’s injuries] were shocking.

“It’s only a matter of good fortune that no further injury was involved.”

Recorder Cotter said he accepted the mitigation that the defendant’s actions were “almost certainly as a result of the difficult upbringing [Bridgeman] had.”

Bridgeman was jailed for one year and ten months and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £156.