A MAN attacked his neighbour with a meat cleaver.
Jonathan Hurst, 39, of Lower Edge Road, Elland, admitted affray at a block of flats in Westgate, Elland, last year.
Paul Nicholson, prosecuting, said Stephen Vowels was in the communal entrance of the flats on July 8 when someone came running towa
rds him.
He managed to push the person to one side and when the lights were turned on he saw Hurst, who he recognised as a neighbour from the floor below, armed with a meat cleaver.
"The complainant was using his feet to keep the defendant away from him – he kicked him away, causing the defendant to fall over," said Mr Nicholson.
Mr Vowels ran to his flat and armed himself with a broom handle before going back to tackle Hurst.
The meat cleaver broke in the struggle and Hurst was left holding the plastic handle while Mr Vowels had the blade.
Mr Vowels's girlfriend called the police and Hurst was arrested.
In intervew, he told police his sister had been having problems with Mr Vowels so he had gone to confront him.
He claimed Mr Vowels came at him with a sword but accepted that he had drunk about seven pints.
Mr Nicholson said Hurst has previous convictions but had not been in trouble since 1999.
Abigail Langford, for Hurst, said: "He accepts, had he not been under the influence of alcohol, he would not have reacted in this way."
Judge Peter Benson told Hurst he had behaved stupidly, irresponsibly and dangerously.
He sentenced him to six months in jail suspended for two years. He was also ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work.
