A Vale pensioner who launched an unprovoked attack on the housebound wife he had been married to for 53 years was warned by a judge he could not expect leniency if it happened again.

Arthur Curry, aged 77, beat his wife Winifred with a back scratcher while she lay helpless in bed.

She told police he struck her six times around 11.30pm on May 14. She was also pushed and punched, said Jonathan Salmon, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court last Friday.

Curry, of Laurel Close, Drakes Broughton, pleaded guilty to common assault. He was given a 12 month conditional discharge.

Judge Michael Mott said Curry had a view of himself which did not coincide with reality. In a pre-sentence report he described himself as a wonderful husband.

The judge told him: "This was not a one-off event. I hope that by appearing in crown court you will realise you can't get away with being violent. If things get out of hand again, you can't expect the same degree of leniency."

Mrs Curry was infirm and bed-ridden but tried to fight back, said Mr Salmon, managing to hit her husband once. He told police he was the victim of the violence after she made a complaint.

She suffered bruising to her forehead, nose and left wrist and a lump on her scalp.

David Mason, defending, said Mrs Curry thought long and hard after making the complaint and did not want to pursue it.

She told police she would not assist the Crown in the prosecution.

It would "kill her" to attend court and give evidence.

Mr Mason said the couple's children, who attended court, did not think their parents would ever live together again.

Mrs Curry needed professional help in a nursing home and her husband, who suffered from cancer and poor eyesight, was unfit to be her carer.

The defendant denied an alternative charge of assault causing actual bodily harm. The judge ordered it to lie on the court file.