A MAN who considered himself the “patriarch” of his family carried out a drunken assault on his sister’s ex-partner, a court was told.

John McHale, 40, was today (Monday October 20) jailed for 13 months for the sustained attack on the victim, at his sister’s home in Fishburn, County Durham, on the afternoon of Sunday June 8.

Durham Crown Court heard that the victim, who had not, at that point, left the house, despite the relationship having ended, was snoozing on the sofa, at the time.

Stephen Duffield, prosecuting, said McHale was heard banging on the door for up to 25 minutes before the incident.

Mr Duffield said he managed to get into the house and confronted the victim, waking him and shouting abuse.

McHale told him he had to leave, and then repeatedly punched him, despite efforts of others to pull him away.

The victim was ushered upstairs and McHale was still present when police arrived and arrested him.

Mr Duffield said the victim, in his 40s, suffered a swollen left eye, completely closing it, and a 5cm laceration across the forehead which required ten stitches.

He remains scarred, several months after the incident, having undergone a number of hospital and other medical appointments.

On arrest, McHale claimed he acted in self-defence.

But at a previous hearing, McHale, whose address was given as Durrington, in Wiltshire, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Kate Rafter, mitigating, said the self-employed scaffolder now accepts what he did and realises he must address his drink problem.

Jailing him, Judge Christopher Prince said far from acting like the family “patriarch”, he has let it down with violent behaviour after drinking.

He added that McHale seemed to bear “significant hostility” to a man who was effectively his brother-in-law.

A restraining order was put in place preventing him contacting the victim.