Son attacks dad with garden saw (From Gazette & Herald)

Son attacks dad with garden saw

12:02pm Wednesday 17th October 2012 in News By Megi Rychlikova, megi.rychlikova@thepress.co.uk

A RYEDALE man who attacked his father with a saw in a drunken outburst has received a suspended prison sentence.

Ashley Mark Flint, 26, first tried to hit his father Eric with a scythe at his parents’ home in Huntington, York, Christopher Attwooll told York Crown Court.

Then he attacked his father with a saw, and although Mr Flint managed to block the blow to some degree, the saw still made a three-inch cut on his head.

Flint, who lives in Scrayingham, is due to become a father himself in the next few days, his barrister Nick Barker told the court.

He aded that the defendant has a drink problem.

Flint was given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years on condition he does 120 hours unpaid work, and was told to complete a six-month alcohol rehabilitation course by the Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, who told him: “You were simply out of control.”

Flint pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm.

Mr Attwooll said Ashley Flint’s parents returned home from an evening out on July 6 to find their son helping himself to items in their fridge.

Flint started swearing at them and punched his father. The couple managed to get their son out of the house, but then Flint went to the garden shed and fetched a scythe with which he attacked his father.

After being disarmed by his father, Flint went back to the shed to get a saw and attacked his father with that. Mr and Mrs Flint called the police and as their son cycled off he was arrested.

The court heard he has since spent time in prison on remand after breaking his bail conditions.

For Ashley Flint, Nick Barker said: “Lying behind this is a family tragedy, which is a great shame and sadness.”

The son was ashamed of what he had done, which was caused by his addiction to alcohol.

His partner was due to give birth within days of the sentencing hearing.