South Shields man broke rival's arm with baseball bat in alleyway after church

Darren Richardson hit the victim's shoulder blade and arm with the weapon, which caused a fracture and required a four-hour operation to insert a metal plate.

Newcastle Crown Court heard after the attack the men shook hands and the victim did not attend court when the case was listed for trial.

Richardson, 46, of Cragside, South Shields, admitted affray.

The court heard Richardson had just got back from church when he noticed the man in an alleyway near his home so armed himself with the bat and went out.

Prosecutor Shada Mellor told the court: "He went into the alleyway. In the defendant's basis of plea he stated he had this (the bat) in order to warn off the complainant and others as a result of their antisocial behaviour.

"He believed they were waiting to collect a drug debt from him."

The court heard Richardson claimed the victim was armed with a glass bottle so used the bat in a "pre-emptive strike", twice then there was a struggle between the two men.

Jennifer Coxon, defending, told the court: "Mr Richardson had been to church that morning and returned home to find the complainant and others in the alleyway in order to recover a drug debt of his.

"That's not the first time they had been there, they had been numerous times before and he had ignored them.

"He accepts he made the wrong decision to go out into the street."

Miss Coxon said after the violence the men had a conversation then "shook hands".

The court heard Richardson, who has spent time in custody, had a difficult childhood.

Richardson was sentenced to 21 months, suspended for two years, with requirements.